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The Gemara relates that people say that a mosquito can carry iron that is equal to the weight of sixty Maneh (one Maneh is equal to a hundred silver coins) on its stinger. RASHI explains that this means that its bite is very effective.
Why does the Gemara emphasize the painfulness of the bite of a mosquito in this way?
The MAHARSHA explains that the mosquito, which damages with its mouth, symbolizes a person who slanders others with his mouth by speaking Lashon ha'Ra. Such a person should not think that his words can do no harm, but rather he should know that his words can be extremely harmful.
We may apply this approach to explain the other incident involving mosquitoes recorded in the Gemara. The Gemara relates that a mosquito's wife quarrels with her husband for seven years when she discovers that he found a fat person and sucked the person's blood without telling her.
This symbolizes that Lashon ha'Ra harms even the one who speaks it. One who speaks Lashon ha'Ra believes that he suffers nothing, and that it is only the subject of his Lashon ha'Ra who suffers. The truth is that Lashon ha'Ra harms even the person who speaks it (see Erchin 16b). In the case of the mosquito, when the other mosquito hears that this mosquito bit (i.e. spoke Lashon ha'Ra) without informing her, she no longer wants to be his friend. (M. Kornfeld)
We explore the role of the mosquito as a metaphor as well as its place in literature.