by Staff writer
A giant mosquito with a wingspan of over 4 inches has been discovered in China.
The super-sized insect belongs to the Holorusa mikado species, the largest mosquito family in the world.
With a 5 cm long body and a wingspan of 11.15 cm, the mosquito is ten times longer than an average mosquito.
Zhao Li, curator of the Insect Museum of West China discovered the insect last August in Qincheng Mountain, within the Sichuan province of China, but said he wanted to take his time to confirm that it really was the largest mosquito in the world before revealing the startling discovery.
Luckily, the giant mosquitoes do not feed on blood.
Zhao Li told South China Morning Post: “These mosquitoes look horrendous, but do not feed on blood. The adults have a life span of only a few days and mainly feed on nectar.”
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| Giant mosquito found in China (Xinhua/Barcroft Images) |
“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,” Li said.
The mosquito is set to go on display at the museum in China next month.
This is not the first time Zhao Li has caught a supersized insect. Last year he found a female stick insect measuring 25 inches long!
looking at its monster size, its bite might be as painful as a honeybee ig..