My daughter asks questions -- a lot of questions -- and I do my utmost, fatherly best to provide an answer.

One day we were on the topic of why certain animals exist on this earth. ("Daddy, why are there sharks? Sharks hurt people.") I did my best to muster the ol' "Circle of Life" answer, explaining that every creature served its purpose.

Then she asked me about mosquitoes and their purpose. Beyond being pesky and annoying, I was stumped.