They are said to be twenty times the size of the typical mosquito and they can easily bite through layers of clothing. Reports are that their bite feels the same as being stabbed with a knife! The dreadful mosquito is called the “Gallinippers” and scientists believe that they will be plaguing the state of Florida this summer!
These giant sized mosquitos specifically seek out humans and animals and deliver a painful stab both day and night in contrast to typical mosquitoes which are only active at dawn and dusk. Scientists are not certain that even the highest dosage of DEET will protect people from these blood thirsty vampires as they may be more tolerant to DEET than other types of mosquitoes.
Like other species of mosquitoes, it is only the female mosquito that is the blood seeker. The males feed upon flower nectar. The eggs of the Gallinipper can lay dormant in the soil near ponds, creeks, and other bodies of water for years until water levels rise. Once they do, the mosquitos will hatch and the invasion will begin.
There are a few good points to having these blood seekers around though. While in the larvae stage, researchers have found that they feed upon all types of mosquito larvae, which in turn will help to keep other disease transmitting mosquito populations down. The Gallinipper mosquito is not known to be a carrier of any type of disease.
With any luck the Gallinipper mosquito invasion will not be too bad of a problem for Florida residents and hopefully they will not accidentally be transported out of the state. Residents should consider having a Monmouth County, NJ pest control professional perform barrier treatments around their home or business to keep mosquitos and other types of pests away.