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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Mosquitoes and Midges (Culicomorpha) » Mosquitoes (Culicidae) » Aedini » Aedes » Inland Floodwater Mosquito (Aedes vexans)
Photo#7492
Giant Mosquito? - Aedes vexans - female
Copyright © 2004 Richard Leung

Giant Mosquito? - Aedes vexans - Female
Springfield, Virginia, USA
September 28, 2004
When I first saw this insect, I thought it was a small cranefly. Upon closer inspection, I saw the characteristic leg posture and realized it was actually a huge mosquito, about 2.5 times the size of this one:

It definitely looks well fed. Does anybody know what type this is?
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Contributed by Richard Leung on 29 September, 2004 - 7:59pm
Last updated 23 June, 2006 - 6:17pm

pretty sure
this is a gravid Ae. vexans. a lateral view is all you need with these guys (of course with the leg banding) any mosqutio can become impressivly large. it all depends on the availibality of food as larvae and its quality. even though vexans are known to be smaller mosquitos i have seen some relatively giant ones
… Omar Fahmy, 23 June, 2006 - 4:55pm login or register to post comments

My two cents
I would say a mosquito and this might even be a female. I think the males generally have fuzzy antennae (compare the photo you referenced).
… Troy Bartlett, 29 September, 2004 - 11:01pm login or register to post comments

 
Mosquitoes
There is a great site out there on North Dakota mosquitoes. Maybe someone not as analog as I will want to post a link. The only mosquitoes I know of that get really big are in the genus Psorophora (maybe that should be spelled SORE-a-phor-a:-), but the legs usually have "fluffy," brush-like scales.
… Eric R. Eaton, 30 September, 2004 - 12:20pm login or register to post comments

 
I think you're right, Troy.
I thought any feathering on the antennae signified male, but in comparing it with pictures of other female mosquitos, I see that mine matches. Thanks!

I still wonder what it fed on, it was absolutely huge :)
… Richard Leung, 30 September, 2004 - 7:03am login or register to post comments

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