Nature & Environment

'World's largest mosquito' discovered in China

By T.K. Randall
April 25, 2018

Image: Aedes Albopictus on Human Skin
Credit: James Gathany / (PD) CDC The enormous specimen reportedly belongs to the species Holorusia mikado and was found during a field trip to Mount Qingcheng in Chengdu, the captial of China's Sichuan province.

These huge insects typically grow to around 8cm, making this one particularly gigantic.

"These mosquitoes look horrendous, but do not feed on blood," said Zhao Li, curator of the Insect Museum of West China. "The adults have a lifespan of only a few days and mainly feed on nectar.""There are tens of thousands of types of mosquitoes in the world. Barely 100 species feed on blood and may be a problem for humans."

"They are weak fliers because of their big bodies. When they fly, it is more like hopping. More often than not, they are found in areas with dense vegetation."

But is the insect actually a mosquito ? According to reports, there may be some confusion over whether this is a mosquito or a crane fly due to the way these species are categorized in China.

Either way, there's no denying that this particular specimen is truly gigantic.


Source: Straits Times

Tags: Mosquito