The Biggest Mosquito I Have Ever Seen

  • Thread starter russ_watters
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In summary, a mosquito was killed in the room where the telescope was being set up. It is unknown what kind of mosquito it is, but it is likely a male.
  • #1
russ_watters
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I was setting up my telescope and I'm usually pretty good about keeping the door closed, but when I came back inside I thought I had a hummingbird in my den. Here's a picture of him taken shortly after his untimely death...

He was more impressive alive, with the big leg span, but unfortunately, those photos didn't come out.
 

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  • #2
I'm no expert but I believe that is a male mosquito which are always much larger but harmless. I don't believe they bite. It's the smaller female mosquitos that draw blood to lay eggs. This is from my experience in Alaska, where the mosquito is considered the state bird.
 
  • #3
thats one heck of a skeeter
 
  • #4
i've killed a couple like these in my apt. nasty creatures. usually come into the house if the door is left open, especially in summer.
 
  • #5
not completely sure, but if it looked like this alive:
http://fixedreference.org/2006-Wikipedia-CD-Selection/images/70/7028.jpg

Then you just killed ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_eater" [Broken]!

I don't know... but that doesn't look like any mosquito I see in Alaska, could be a different kind.
 
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  • #6
No, that's not it. The wings were flat against the tail. Not a great photo, but here's the Before...
 

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  • #7
Looking around on the net, it looks similar to these species of flies, at the bottom of the page: http://www.arbovirus.health.nsw.gov.au/areas/arbovirus/mosquit/photos/mosquitophotos.htm [Broken]
 
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  • #8
We get big ones like that here.
 
  • #9
russ_watters said:
Looking around on the net, it looks similar to these species of flies, at the bottom of the page: http://www.arbovirus.health.nsw.gov.au/areas/arbovirus/mosquit/photos/mosquitophotos.htm [Broken]

the one at the top of the list there is what I posted: the crane fly.

Here's an Alaskan mosquito (much shorter tail/abdomen thingy)

http://www.homestead.com/ipmofalaska/files/janninesculisetainornatafemale.gif

But yeah, I can see in the live pic of your insect... I don't remember crane flies ever holding that pose.
 
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  • #10
I was thinking along the same line as Pythagorean. We have what are called 'mosquito hawks', which look very much like huge mosquitos but in fact prey upon them.
 
  • #11
im pretty sure that its a male mosquito , they are much bigger than the female, and they don't bite, still, they are dead-worthy.
 
  • #12
Looking around, I have a few trapped behind a window that look almost identical except that they are 1/4 the size, so I think you're right about this one being a male.
 
  • #13
Pythagorean said:
Here's an Alaskan mosquito (much shorter tail/abdomen thingy)

http://www.homestead.com/ipmofalaska/files/janninesculisetainornatafemale.gif

They get them like that in Florida around the Everglades. I remember it being over 100 degrees and raining, and mosquitos so big that if you swat them, it just ticks them off. :biggrin:
 
  • #14
If you did not need a baseball bat to kill it do not bother entering it in any competition here in atlanta.
 
  • #15
I have a paralyzing fear of all insects *shrugs*.
 

1. What is the size of the biggest mosquito you have ever seen?

The biggest mosquito I have ever seen was about 2 inches in length.

2. Where did you encounter this giant mosquito?

I encountered the biggest mosquito at a lake near my house where there is a lot of standing water, which is a common breeding ground for mosquitoes.

3. Is the biggest mosquito you have ever seen a new species?

No, the biggest mosquito I have ever seen is not a new species. It is a type of mosquito known as the "Gallinipper" or "Psorophora ciliata" which is found in the eastern United States.

4. How does the size of the biggest mosquito compare to other mosquitoes?

The biggest mosquito I have ever seen is significantly larger than other mosquitoes. Most common mosquito species range from 1/8 to 1/2 inch in length, while the Gallinipper can grow up to 1-1/2 inches in length.

5. Are bigger mosquitoes more dangerous than smaller ones?

Not necessarily. The size of a mosquito does not determine its ability to transmit diseases. However, larger mosquitoes may have a longer lifespan and therefore have more opportunities to feed on blood and potentially spread diseases.

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