Super-sized: Scientist says mega mosquitoes also known as gallinippers, left, could be common in central Florida this summer. They can be 20 times bigger than typical Asian tiger mosquitoesMega-mosquitoes which are the size of quarters are expected to take over areas of Florida 'in large numbers' this summer, scientists have warned.
The special breed of the nuisance bug, which can be 20 times bigger than common menacing Asian tiger mosquitoes, are described as 'notoriously aggressive'.
They were handed the perfect breeding ground by last year's tropical storms, according to scientists at the University of Florida, so are coming to a town near you.
Ouch: Mega-mosquito bites hurt much more than usual mosquito bites according to the experts, who say the insects can even bite through clothing'Because of the events last year, and the eggs laid, we can expect large numbers of these mosquitoes again,' Entomologist Phil Kaufman, an associate professor with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, told the Gainsville Sun.
'It is quite capable of biting through my shirt.
This big: Gallinippers tend to be the size of a quarter and could be seen in large numbers in Central Florida this Summer, according to scientists'We suggest people wear long-sleeve pants and shirts. Just doing that may not be enough for this type of mosquito; you're going to have use one of the insect repellants to dissuade them from landing.'
'The bite really hurts, I can attest to that,' he told science site phys.org.
Psorophora ciliata, or Gallinipper mosquitoes as they are commonly known, have half inch long bodies and the same black-white color pattern of the more common Asian Tiger Mosquito with a wingspan of 6-7 millimeters.
source: dailymail
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