She made one very good observation - I did not mention insects. Fairchild mentions that mosquitoes and biting flies were practically unbearable around Lake Emory as so much of the original lake is now comprised of swamp. I can hardly disagree, as mosquitoes love standing or stagnant water to breed, and there are plenty of such pools of water on and around Lake Emory. However, I do think that one has to be careful when only looking at the negatives. Certainly no one likes to be eaten alive on a fine summer's eve, but these insects, as well as many others, play a very important role in the ecology of Lake Emory and in any body of water.
Mosquitoes breed in water and their initial stages of development occur in water.
The early stages of a mosquito's life are valuable food sources for fish, other insects, birds and amphibians. Certainly the larval form of the mosquito is a good source of protein for the many predators which take advantage of this abundant food supply during their own breeding season. The same holds true for some of the biting insects, which can disrupt a nice family gathering around a picnic table. Although some biting flies may not breed in water, others do. All of them, however, fit in a typical food chain and are, therefore, beneficial.