|
|
BirdChannel.com Report Abuse
We want your experience on BirdChannel to be fun and safe. If you see any entries in the photo gallery or bird profiles that are offensive or obvious attempts at advertising, please submit the information below.
| Date: | 6/18/2013 8:09:39 PM |
| * Your email address: |
|
| Comment being reported: |
Hi Marley
This Bug's for You!!! hee hee.
Gallinippers! Monster mosquitoes poised to strike Florida - Part 1
One of the most ferocious insects you've ever heard of —it's the size of a quarter and its painful bite has been compared to being knifed — is set to invade Florida this summer.
The Sunshine State, already home to man-eating sinkholes, invading Burmese pythons, swarming sharks, tropical storms and other disasters, can expect to see an explosion of shaggy-haired gallinippers (Psorophora ciliata), a type of giant mosquito, according to entomologist Phil Kaufman of the University of Florida.
"I wouldn't be surprised, given the numbers we saw last year," Kaufman said in a statement. "When we hit the rainy cycle, we may see that again."
As insects go, gallinippers are particularly formidable. Their eggs lay dormant for years, awaiting the floodwaters that will enable them to hatch. Even in their larval stage, gallinippers are so tough they'll eat tadpoles and other small aquatic prey. [Ouch! Nature's 10 Biggest Pests]
And as adults, the voracious pests feed day and night (unlike everyday mosquitoes, which generally feed only at dawn and dusk). Their bodies are strong enough to bite through clothing, and they're known to go after pets, wild animals and even fish, MyFoxOrlando.com reports.
"It's about 20 times bigger than the sort of typical, Florida mosquito that you find," Anthony Pelaez of Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry told Fox Orlando. "And it's mean, and it goes after people, and it bites, and it hurts."
SCREECH |
| * Reason why this is being reported: |
|
|
Disclaimer: The posts and threads recorded in our message boards do not reflect the opinions of nor are endorsed by I-5 Publishing, LLC, Animal Network nor any of its employees. We are not responsible for the content of these posts and threads.
*Content generated by our loyal visitors, which includes comments and club postings, is free of constraints from our editors' red pens, and therefore not governed by I-5 Publishing, LLC's Gold Standard Quality Content, but instead allowed to follow the free form expression necessary for quick, inspired and spontaneous communication.
|
 |
Get social and connect with BirdChannel.
|
 |
|