Monster mosquitoes are coming to Florida.
A large and notoriously aggressive species of mosquito is likely to be teeming in the state of Florida this summer.
University of Florida entomologist Phil Kaufman predicts that the summer will bring a lot of the mosquitoes known colloquially as gallinippers.
Anthony Pelaez of Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry said: “It's about 20 times bigger than the sort of typical, Florida mosquito that you find.”
The gallinippers are about half an inch long and have a striped black and white pattern on their bodies.
They are a native insect in the eastern half of North America.
Floodwaters caused by Tropical Storm Debby allowed large numbers of the mosquitoes to hatch last summer in Florida.
Along with all other species of mosquito, only females have a thirst for blood.
They lay eggs that are capable of being dormant for years and still remaining fertile.
When floodwater collects, it gives the eggs an opportunity to hatch.
Gallinippers are known to be aggressive and have a painful bite, but they also don’t carry diseases.
