Large mosquito with long legs - what is it called and what is dangerous?

large mosquito with long legs
Large mosquito with long legs

Hello! A cousin came to visit me with her daughter. We sat, drank tea with cookies, began to prepare for bed.

And then a girl runs out of the room screaming that there is a huge mosquito who wanted to bite her.

I understood what she was talking about, and immediately reassured her. After all, this is not a threat that should be truly feared. Now I will write you all the details about the caramera - a large mosquito with long legs. And then many people unreasonably consider this insect to be a malaria mosquito.

Does a huge mosquito-centipede bite, or karamora?

A mosquito-centipede, or karamora, only scares people, not bites. It does not have such stitching bristles as a regular mosquito. At karamora, the proboscis is short and soft. And that "spike", which many take for a sting, is an ovipositor safe for humans.

This insect (Diptera squad) looks like an enlarged copy of a regular mosquito. We are afraid of a huge mosquito with long legs that hangs from the ceiling or rushes about the room, bumping into people and furniture. And of course, the centipede has nothing to do with the malaria mosquito.

Nicknamed "Caramor"

Caramora is the unofficial name for large and medium-sized fly mosquitoes. These include several families of insects, which are unprofessional easy to confuse. The most numerous: Cylindrotomidae, Limoniidae, Pediciidae and Tipulidae. Karamora hardly moves on his too long, shaky legs.

Important!
These legs often save the life of the centipede. The predator grabs the insect first by sticking out a limb, which easily breaks off. The mosquito itself remains alive and flies away. The color of large-sized mosquitoes is gray, grayish yellow or dirty brown. On the outstretched head there are antennae.

In males they are cirrus or comb, and in females they are filiform. Fore wings narrow and transparent (spotted in some species). The hind wings resemble short processes. They help in flight and are stabilizers.

Caramors are found from early spring to late autumn. Crane trunks settle in damp places in forests, in meadows, swamps, in gardens, kitchen gardens and even in greenhouses. In the daytime, carameres are passive.

They enter rooms by accident or fly into the light. Then they lose their landmark and begin to rush from side to side in search of a way out or shelter. Sometimes they fly into rooms to wait out rain or wind.

Caramor eggs are laid in soil, moss, rotten wood, sometimes in water. These mosquitoes are harmless. Adult centipedes eat sparingly: dew and nectar of flowers. Another thing is their voracious larvae.

Larvae

Larvae of centipede mosquitoes emerge from eggs laid in the soil, in dust, rotten beneath fallen leaves and falling to the bottom of water bodies. They are gray or dirty brown in color. These "worms" can hardly be called cute.

They have a head and a body with false legs, tracheal gills and all kinds of appendages. At the posterior end of the abdomen there is a pair of spiracles around which there are fleshy outgrowths.

In the suburbs, large karamora is common - tipula maxima (Tipula maxima). Its large grayish-brown larvae can be seen crawling on the ground, on fallen leaves and in silt. Bundles of short hairs surrounding the respiratory appendages are noticeable at the end of the body.

The dirty gray larvae of the pedicia (Pedicia rivosa) have false legs allowing them to move along the muddy bottom. Better than others, the larva of the mosquito-centipede dicranota (Dicranota bimaculata) is “equipped”. It is easier for her to move on silt or wet sand thanks to ten false legs (five pairs).

Each leg has a special device - a tiny hook that allows you to not slide off the bottom irregularities. The larva survives even in very dirty water, as it breathes simultaneously through the skin, using gill appendages and receives clean air through a breathing tube directed to the surface of the water.

Advice!
The family Cylindrotomidae includes amazing larvae, which from the outside seem to be ... moss that has grown at the bottom. Larvae settle among aquatic plants, where they feel comfortable, safe and full.

All larvae are incredibly gluttonous. They find food under water and on land. Delicacies for them are algae, rotting plants, roots of garden crops and tree seedlings. A lot of troubles to people are delivered by the larva of the garden centipede. It is she who more than other species bites the roots of cultivated plants.

The biggest mosquito in the world

To date, more than four thousand species of mosquitoes are known in the world; In the countries of the former USSR about 400 of them live. The most significant body size among these insects boasts a caramor, or centipede.

This large mosquito with long legs looks very intimidating, but it is not dangerous for humans, since it does not drink blood. Damage to the centipede and its larvae is done exclusively to plants.

What is the name and where it lives

Fear has big eyes ... It’s no secret that many people are horrified to watch a large mosquito with long legs flying or just sitting quietly on the wall. In fact, not everyone knows the name of this giant.

However, one can often hear how confidently they call him “malaria” with notes of panic in his voice or assure him that he has extremely unpleasant and painful bites ... In fact, alarmists should be reassured: their inventions have nothing to do with reality.

The mosquito-centipede (in ancient times known in Russia as karamora) belongs to the suborder of the long-necked detachment of dipterous insects. It is found in abundance on almost all continents, in those places where there is enough water and not too cold.

This is really the largest mosquito in the world of all known to science today: the size of an adult caramera can vary from eight to forty millimeters.

And the record holder, whose body length is sixty millimeters, lives in Southeast Asia. One has only to imagine: the wingspan of this mosquito reaches ten centimeters, and the distance between the tips of the front and rear legs is as much as twenty three centimeters!

External signs

The most characteristic external feature of the centipede, as it is easy to understand by its name, is legs, exceptionally long and thin in comparison with the body. If karamore is in danger, she will take off, leaving her foot in the mouth of the enemy to save her life. This phenomenon is called autotomy (or self-mutilation).

Attention!
Black caramel eyes, located on a small head, along with long, jointed antennae, also characterize caramor.The body of a large mosquito has a slender, elongated abdomen, usually consisting of nine or ten segments.

Moreover, in males of karamora, the apex of the abdomen has a thickened shape, and in females - an elongated shape.

The fore wings of the centipede are narrow and transparent, but in some species they may have a spotted color. The hind wings are reduced to ground beetles - short processes that play the role of a stabilizer during flight.

Crane in different stages of development

Caramera eggs are usually elongated (less commonly rounded), covered with a dense opaque shell of glossy black color.

The larvae of this mosquito live in a humid environment: forest litter, soil, rotting tree, fresh water. They are characterized by a large, well-developed head and powerful jaws, allowing not only to eat decaying plant residues, but also to bite live roots.

At the pupal stage, the largest mosquito of all known to science has a free, elongated cylindrical shape. Covers of limbs of pupa densely pressed to the body, segments of the abdomen are marked with spines located in transverse rows.

Thanks to the spikes located on the surface of the head, the pupae can easily get out of the wood dust or soft soil.

Does the biggest mosquito in the world drink blood?

Impressive natures can breathe calmly: neither human nor animal blood of a karamora drinks. Representatives of this family feed exclusively on plant nectar and dew; some centipedes may not eat at all.

Important!
Another common myth has long been debunked by science: this big mosquito is simply not capable of biting a person. He completely lacks both a stinging proboscis and a sting. And the sharp “syringes” at the ends of the abdomens of female centipedes are nothing but oviposites.

Bouncing above the ground and sticking the sharp tip of the abdomen into the soil, the female of this mosquito takes care of procreation, laying eggs to a shallow depth.

Harm from centipedes

However, one cannot say that this large mosquito is completely harmless. Without any direct danger to humans, the centipede can cause significant damage to forestry and agriculture. Some types of karamora are recognized as dangerous pests that affect fruit, vegetables and berries.

So, cabbage centipedes larvae that live in the upper layers of the soil feed on plant roots during the day, at night they get out onto the surface of the earth and gnaw leaves and stems. Similar damage to vegetation is caused by the swamp moth.

Damage occurs most often in open ground, but sometimes even in sheltered land, where larvae and eggs fall along with the imported land.

Precautions and control of this pest, as a rule, are as follows: treatment with special compositions of seeds, as well as soil during the laying of eggs and pupation of larvae. The layout in the area of ​​special baits treated with a substance that is fatal for larvae is also effective.

Waterlogged areas should be drained, systematically regulate the water level in the drainage system, actively deal with weeds. In the complex, such actions are quite effective in combating the damage that this large mosquito can do to the agricultural economy.

What kind of malaria mosquito is he?

There is no doubt that the long-legged feeding on vegetable juices, some "experts" call the "malaria mosquito" is completely unfounded. This deadly disease is transmitted by other representatives of dipterans insects - malaria mosquitoes (anopheles).

In size, they are much smaller than centipedes, approaching the real mosquitoes familiar to us. However, there are several significant features that distinguish a malaria mosquito from an ordinary one.

Advice!
Firstly, the malaria mosquito has longer hind legs, due to which the body of the insect sitting on the surface is located at a very large angle.On its wings, small black spots are noticeable, and on its head there are articulated tentacles of almost the same length as the proboscis.

These creatures live near water bodies with neutral or slightly alkaline water and where filamentous algae grow, which serve as larvae for refuge and food.

Malaria mosquitoes are predominantly nocturnal, hiding in dark secluded places during the day. Only females feed on blood. You should know that by themselves, their bites are not dangerous - but only until they taste the blood of a person suffering from malaria.

Mosquito nets treated with insecticides, spirals and fumigators, thick clothes in the dark, and measures aimed at reducing the number of Anopheles larvae allow you to effectively fight these carriers of infection.

Is mosquito a centipede a harmless giant or a dangerous parasite?

A huge mosquito with long legs is an insect, at the sight of which anxiety arises by itself. It seems that his bite can be not only very painful, but even fatal.

Such a formidable giant mosquito is surely a carrier of dangerous infections. Initial thought: the parasite needs to be destroyed as soon as possible!

Do not rush to do this, because it is highly likely that your terrible "guest" is not at all so dangerous. The topic of our conversation today: what is the name of the largest mosquito in Russia and is it worth it to be afraid of.

Who is it?

The name of this large representative of the group of long-necked centipedes or karamora. A large mosquito with long legs can live everywhere where it is humid enough, from marshes to city parks.

It is undemanding to the environment, you will not meet him except in the desert or in the Arctic. It is possible that someday a similar insect similar to a large mosquito will fly into your apartment. Why only similar, we will tell a little later.

Attention!
The color of karamora can be gray-yellow, dirty brown or just gray, depending on the type. The length of the body of the mosquito long-legged reaches 6 cm, in the tropics there are specimens up to 10 cm. An elongated head with antennae and large faceted eyes looks frightening even without a microscope.

There are also considerable wings (two pairs), but first of all they are large mosquitoes with long legs. Oblong tibia is crowned with no less large processes - spurs.

If we talk about the advantages of this addition, then they are doubtful. A huge mosquito moves on stilts with difficulty, not to mention some record jumps. Paradoxical as it may seem, the main function of the prominent legs is to receive “fire” on oneself.

Often, predators do not know whether large mosquitoes bite, so they attack with extreme caution. Namely, they try to "render" an opponent.

It is quite simple to do this, but the loss of a limb does not scare the caramore. In the end, what a huge mosquito that such a “trifle” can destroy! The long-legged fly quietly flies away and lives long even after "amputation".

Larvae

Dangerous or not, a large mosquito with long legs can be judged by how much harm the larvae bring to a person. Females lay eggs in soil, rotten wood, under fallen leaves. These "fry" of dirty brown or gray color with all desire cannot be called pretty.

However, their incredible gluttony is much worse. If large mosquitoes in Moscow consumed food on the same scale as in childhood, metropolitan vegetation would have been tight. Among the favorite “delicacies” of the larvae:

  1. plant roots;
  2. seedlings of trees;
  3. rotting leaves;
  4. seaweed.

For rural residents, the question is whether large mosquitoes are dangerous, is not worth it. Even if you do not take into account the risk of being bitten, the very presence of such insects means that somewhere nearby larvae develop, for which garden plants are a very welcome treat.

Is there a danger?

Now we turn to the main intrigue: are big mosquitoes biting in Russia? Hurry to reassure you. If we are talking about karamor, you only have to worry about your garden or garden. This mosquito-like insect not only does not attack people, but is afraid of itself.

In the room, it can only happen by chance, taking refuge from the weather or flying into the light. What is the danger of a mosquito centipede, which turned out to be in close proximity to a person? Only that which creates excess clutter. Once in the room, the insect begins to panic and randomly rush about in search of a way out.

Large adult mosquito:

  • It feeds exclusively on flower nectar and dew (for a long time it may even go hungry);
  • does not tolerate infectious diseases;
  • the blood of people and animals does not consume, since it cannot physiologically bite (therefore, only "looking like a mosquito");
  • has the unique ability to function normally even after losing a leg.

Whether or not a large mosquito encountered in your path is dangerous or not depends on what species it belongs to. Yes, representatives of the family of centipedes are not able to harm the human body, but they are not the ones who have impressive dimensions.

Malaria mosquitoes

To the question, what is the name of a large mosquito with long legs, you can often hear the answer: malaria. These insects really quite fit this definition. They also have solid sizes and outstanding limbs.

Important!
Regarding whether the malaria mosquito bites, there is no doubt. At least ten varieties of this genus live on the territory of Russia, and all of them can be carriers of the dangerous disease of the same name.

How to determine what kind of insect similar to a large mosquito appeared in front of you - karamora or "malarik". In fact, the difference is noticeable even with the naked eye. The second hind pair of legs is much longer than the front and there is a long proboscis sting.

The presence of the latter is a convincing answer to the question whether or not a malaria mosquito bites. In this case, even the smallest centipede is approximately twice as large as the largest of the dangerous parasites. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to calmly determine the size of an insect.

Large mosquitoes scare many elementary. Whether these individuals bite or not is a philosophical question. Well, if not, but what if it is? It is more logical to immediately destroy parasites indiscriminately.

If you want to know what big mosquitoes fly into your room because they don’t want to kill a harmless creature, follow their behavior.

When a large insect randomly rushes around the room, most likely this is karamora. If it confidently describes the circles in the air, you should prepare to repel a dangerous attack. It is highly probable that this is a "painter".

What you need to know about a centipede mosquito

Caramora (referred to as the long-legged mosquito) is the largest mosquito in the world. Despite the frightening size, these large mosquitoes cannot harm a person.

External features

Features of representatives of this species:

  • sizes up to 10 cm;
  • predominantly gray color;
  • an elongated head with a noticeable mustache;
  • two pairs of wings;
  • elongated limbs.

Large mosquitoes have an elongated and elongated body. The color is predominantly gray, but individuals are yellowish brown. The long-legged mosquito has two pairs of wings. Large wings can be spotted and serve directly to move in the air.

Advice!
The hind wings serve as the stabilizer of the body during flight and are short processes.

The dimensions of the elongated legs at karamora are due to the elongated tibia. The proboscis is short and soft, and is designed to collect dew. She does not bite a person, despite her frightening appearance.

The long-legged mosquito has gray larvae with small false paws and gills. He lays eggs in places with high humidity. Masonry can be found in moss, in flowering leaves and soil.

Why is karamora dangerous?

A representative of this species eats nectar, the larvae consume plants. Its proboscis is designed to collect dew and nectar, the blood is a mosquito with long legs and its larva does not feed, insects do not bite.

Not everyone knows the danger of a long-legged mosquito. He can cause tangible harm to agriculture, but not to human health. Nevertheless, a meeting with him can turn into a panic for people with a phobia.

A long-legged mosquito is common in all latitudes. You can meet karamora at night in the spring-summer season. A representative of this species moves slowly and makes up a significant part of the diet of predators, for example, bats. Interestingly, the large legs add him a chance of survival when meeting with a predator.

The largest part of the body is the paws, it is for them that predators grab it. The legs are very fragile and easily break off, giving the victim a chance to fly away, leaving the limb to the attacker.

There are several types of caramors, some of which are dangerous for agriculture. We are talking about the marsh "ballerina" and cabbage centipede.

Swamp elderfish or ballerina has a bright color and long legs. It is called “swamp” due to its habitat. The body is two-tone, some segments are bright orange.

Attention!
The diet consists of cereals, vegetables and hops, therefore, the centipede mosquito brings significant harm to agriculture.

The larvae of the cabbage centipedes develop in the ground. During the development period, the larva actively feeds on the underground parts of various plants.

She prefers:

  1. potatoes;
  2. beets;
  3. carrot.

In the warm season, the larva comes to the surface and eats cabbage leaves, which is why it got its name. This representative of the species poses the greatest danger to agriculture.

How to distinguish from a malaria mosquito?

Fear of the centipede is due to the external similarity with a dangerous insect - a malaria mosquito. However, unlike biting malaria, representatives of the species with long legs are large.

Calling the centipede a malaria mosquito, a person is mistaken. The size of the malaria mosquito is up to 10 mm. It has noticeable scaly wings and long legs. It got its name due to the possibility of transferring a dangerous disease with a bite.

Unlike the centipede, the malaria mosquito has a sting, not a soft proboscis. Large sizes are characteristic only for the hind legs of the insect.

Similar insects

Among the insects, similar to mosquitoes, there are long caterpillars with many paws, which are called ordinary flycatchers.

  • They have a long body of gray-brown color with many legs, and got their name due to the fact that they feed mainly on flies.
  • The legs are large, the rear ones are quite large.
  • Such a millipede has no wings; Size can reach 6 cm.

Unlike the long-legged mosquito, the flycatcher is a predator and feeds on small flies. It is poisonous, but not dangerous for humans, since it cannot bite through the skin. A flytrap bites only if it feels danger.

If the poison gets into a crack on the skin, a reaction appears, as after a bite of a wasp or a bee. The place is swollen, reddening, sore and itchy. However, the reaction quickly passes, since the poison of the flytrap is weak for humans.

Important!
A characteristic feature of flycatchers is a high speed of movement, it is very difficult to catch it. You can meet them in the basement and in the apartment, regardless of the time of day.

They do not spoil furniture, do no harm to agriculture and do not harm food products, preferring insects, including flies, and cockroaches.

As you can see, the huge size and frightening appearance does not always mean danger. A long-legged mosquito is not capable of harming human health, and a similar flycatcher saves the dwelling from other insects.

Large mosquito with long legs

Many people like walks on warm summer evenings, but annoying insects overshadow them, even clothing does not save them from a bite.Among the many small gnats, a large mosquito with long legs stands out.

Some especially children get scared when they come home in the evening to find him in their room, tossing about under the ceiling. They are afraid of simply huge (by mosquito standards) sizes of an insect, so similar at first glance to a mosquito bloodsucker.

But they are afraid of the long-legged (that it really can be no doubt) in vain. This huge mosquito only wants to break free from the room where he flies into the light, because he is not interested in human blood.

Habitat

A large mosquito long-legged long-legged, which in Russia has long been called karamora, is common on all continents. They aren’t except in Antarctica, because mosquitoes do not like cold, and even in deserts where they do not live due to lack of water.

Advice!
In our country, a centipede is found almost everywhere where there is dampness. With the onset of heat, and until the very autumn, it can be found near streams, in the forest, in the meadow, on a personal plot.

During the day, a long-legged mosquito hides in the foliage of trees and shrubs, where it is difficult to notice due to its gray or dirty brown color. With the onset of twilight and at night the caramere becomes especially active. It was at this time that she fell into the home of man.

What are the legs of the long legs

This largest representative of the family of dipterans received its name for the characteristic appearance that its too long legs created. The dimensions of its thin elongated legs are due to elongated tibia and paws. This structure of the legs makes it difficult to move, but at the time of danger allows the insect to escape from its enemies.

Crane, has the ability to autotomy. The best example of this phenomenon is a lizard that sheds its tail, which grows over time.

Similarly, the centipede acts, being at rest, it surrounds itself with apart large limbs. They are often the first to fall into the clutches of a predator, but due to subtlety and fragility they instantly break off.

The long-legged creature, without thinking twice, flies away from the enemy with what remains. The cylindrical body of the insect consists of segments.

In some species, its length can reach 3 cm, and among the inhabitants of the tropics even more. In males, a slightly thickened abdomen passes into a hypopygium (genital appendages), and in a female, an ovipositor is located at the end of a slender elongated body. He is often mistaken for a sting.

The body of a mosquito, when it sits usually hidden under a pair of large narrow wings. But he also has a second pair of wings, which are turned into a hummer. These underdeveloped processes with weights serve him for balancing in flight and increase maneuverability.

The elongated shape of the head forms a stigma. On it are two pairs of eyes. One pair is convex, consisting of facets, and the other is simple. In addition to the eyes on the head, there is a pair of jointed antennae.

Life cycle

The lifespan of centipedes is small even in favorable conditions. In the summer, the female manages to live a little more than a month. The life span of a male mosquito is even less.

Attention!
Unlike bloodsuckers, which, while drinking a drop of blood, can lay eggs, the female carameres do not need to do this. She, as soon as the time comes to lay eggs, flies closer to places with high humidity: peat bogs, silty shores.

To save the eggs, the female lays them in a loose substrate. To do this, she, bouncing, sticks her ovipositor into the substrate in order to free herself from the eggs in its thickness.

After about two weeks, larvae appear that look like large-headed worms. In waterlogged soil they are very comfortable, so they are in no hurry to leave it. All stages of their development pass through it.

If the weather is nice and warm, then two weeks are enough for the larvae to pupate. At this time, they become especially voracious (even pita can be eaten by them), which allows them to develop rapidly. And already after half a month the chrysalis turn into adult mosquitoes.

Mass flight of centipedes happens once a season. Females that were born closer to autumn need to have time to mate and accumulate nutrients in order to successfully winter.

In the event of bad weather and cooling, fertilized, but not able to lay eggs, the mosquitoes clog into the cracks and hibernate until spring. Since only females remain wintering, spring mating does not happen.

Debunking the Bloodthirsty Monster Myth

In summer, not only adults suffer from mosquito bites, but also children who are interested in knowing why mosquitoes drink blood. But not everyone can intelligibly answer this children's question. Most people think that all mosquitoes bite.

Therefore, the first thing that comes to their mind when a mosquito with long legs rushes under the ceiling - is it a bloodsucker or not? After all, many are afraid of the possible consequences if such a monster drinks their blood. And I must say that they are afraid in vain.

Important!
In fact, the centipede, unlike the same piskun, does not have rushing-sucking mouth organs, which means that it does not drink any blood, it simply has nothing to bite. Therefore, no one's blood is of interest to her. This vegetarian only needs dew and flower nectar.

In fairness, it should be noted that not all large mosquitoes can eat, in some even the proboscis is not developed. This allows another myth to be debunked that karamors can be carriers of malaria.

Is it really harmless long-legged?

Gardeners often ask why a long-legged mosquito is dangerous. Despite the fact that adults never drank blood and are completely harmless to humans, their larvae are very voracious, which means that they can threaten garden crops.

Especially harmful representatives of the family include swamp, autumn and cabbage caramors, which eat up the roots of moisture-loving plants. A large accumulation of mosquito larvae in moist areas can cause a decrease in yield.

Pursuing the cultivation of root crops, berries and legumes, it is worth taking measures to reduce the number of harmful insects at the site, in particular, mosquitoes, since in the pupation stage their larvae are stocked with energy and willingly devour the roots and plant sprouts.

To combat such pests, crops are treated with insecticides and autumn tillage is used.

Mosquito centipede: description and danger

To date, scientists have recorded more than 4 thousand of the most diverse types of mosquitoes that live in the wild. The largest mosquito is the centipede.

Description

Cranefly is the largest mosquito in the world, calling it that, know that this is a simple name that is understood by the people. It has another name, scientific - karamora. Belongs to the species of long-nosed and diptera insects.

This insect became so called thanks to a very long limbs, and at the same time it has the largest size of the body itself. Its paws several times exceed the length of the body itself, which is rarely possible to meet with other representatives of the family. The legs of this mosquito are the most obvious feature.

Advice!
This species has one interesting feature, which is extremely rare in the animal world. Autotomy - it presents a specific protective mechanism that allows you to save the life of an individual when attacked by predators.

If a hunter (for example, a frog) grabs a mosquito by the paw, then he can throw it away, saving his life.

An example of autotomy can be observed in lizards, since everyone knows how they can lose their tail, and then re-grow this limb. In this respect, the mosquito centipede is similar to the amphibian.

There are also malaria mosquitoes, which, according to external signs, are similar to a centipede. It is for this reason that they are often confused, fearing that these harmless insects carry a dangerous disease.

This species of insect can be found any time of the year, but only not in winter. When cooling, they are not active, and fall into a state of suspended animation, waiting for warming.

Mosquitoes move quite slowly.Most often active with the onset of night, and during the day they hide from the sun in the shadows, choosing wet areas.

Where dwells

The largest mosquito meets practically on all materials, excluding places with a very cold climate. They can be met on the territory of Russia.

Attention!
Usually karamora lives in forests, near the river and lake, swamps. Mosquito centipede loves places with increased and moderate humidity. For this reason, in places where there is no water, you cannot meet this huge representative of insects (for example, desert).

Mosquito centipede prefers to choose wet places for laying eggs. Therefore, any freshwater pond is well suited for their housing.

External signs

Caramera has black eyes with a faceted structure, like most insects of this family. The head is small, and on it is a pair of long antennae.

His body is quite large and slender with an elongated abdomen. The abdomen can have 9-10 segments - in females they are elongated, and in males it is thicker.

The wings, like all others, are transparent and elongated. In some species, they may have a spotty color, but more often transparent. Behind the wings there is a ground beetle, which serves as stabilizers for flight control.

Females with pointed belly have pointed noses similar to proboscis. They are called "ovipositories." With their help, they place eggs in the soil, foliage, or under the bark of trees. Placing them not on the surface, but at a shallow depth, it will be possible to better preserve the masonry.

At one time, they can lay a lot of eggs, which affects the increase in their population.

Females lay eggs in wet places, where there is little sunshine. They have an elongated shape, and are completely covered with a special dense shell, which is painted in black.

Important!
After emergence into the light, the larvae try to pick near to moist soil or close to grass. And also they can be met near water bodies or in decaying wood. At the pupal stage, this species of mosquito has a free, elongated-cylindrical shape.

Cases of limb pupae tightly pressed to the body, segments of the abdomen marked by spines arranged in transverse rows. Thanks to the spikes located on the surface of the head, the chrysalis are quite easy to get out of the wood dust or soft soil

A long-legged mosquito does not pose a threat to human health, since it does not hunt. And the females do not need blood to breed offspring.

Does blood drink

From mosquitoes, centipedes are not particularly harmful to human health. Many people begin to get nervous or even panic at the sight of this large insect. Of course, if you don’t know anything about karamor, then you will involuntarily worry when he approaches.

In fact, this species of insects poses no threat. Despite the fact that they have elongated proboscis, these great mosquitoes do not drink blood at all, even the females.

Their diet is not related to blood, as they take nutrients from other sources. They also do not bite animals. For mosquitoes, centipedes go only for natural juices, which they extract from plants, roots, and algae.

Mosquito harm

It is erroneous that the considered mosquitoes bite, and even more so. In fact, for human health, their bite is not at all dangerous. The only harm from centipedes is that they can scare their large size. This is especially true for those who were not previously aware of their existence, and met with them in the wild.

Caramors can only eat nectar for food, but their larvae are saturated with the remains of vegetation. Only in some cases can they consume living plants. There have been cases when these mosquitoes caused great harm to agriculture.

Advice!
To some summer residents, these mosquitoes can simply annoy their presence, since in the evening and in the morning they can be met in the grass or bushes. By their appearance they can only frighten a person, but they are not able to cause other harm.

Once in a residential building, a mosquito centipede will try to occupy the most indiscriminate place. If a person is frightened by him, he will be sent to the source of light, trying to escape from the threat.

What are the names of large mosquitoes and common species

Many cautiously look at large mosquitoes, rightly believing that his bite will be at least very painful. In fact, large mosquitoes are not dangerous to humans.

The largest mosquitoes belong to the genus Centipedes.Seeing such a huge mosquito, people are usually scared. This is due to the fact that these insects look very frightening. Outwardly, they resemble mosquitoes, which for some reason were increased several times.

Scientifically, these mosquitoes are called centipedes or karamors. These creatures are universal in terms of habitat, because they can be found everywhere.

As an exception, only the most deserted areas and permafrost regions can be identified. True, you will not especially meet people there. Mosquitoes, like people, need normal access to water sources for normal life.

Habitat

Centipede mosquitoes most often equip their homes in regions with the most humid climates. The best options for them are freshwater bodies of water, marshy and wooded areas.

Caramors are able to live comfortably in grass, shrubs and foliage of trees. They prefer to lay their eggs in close proximity to habitats.

Attention!
It is best to have rotting remains of vegetation nearby. It can be stumps, coastal silt, perennial deciduous deposits. As an alternative to large mosquitoes, actively irrigated agricultural land is suitable.

To date, in nature, there are approximately 4,000 different species of centipedes.

The most common types:

  • pedicia;
  • poultry farmers;
  • caramery;
  • dichranotes;
  • Falacrocers
  • enlarged cylindrotomes.

Not only professional entomologists are interested in mosquitoes with long legs. They are fished with pleasure by fishermen and aquarists as fish feed.

Crane fly at a certain stage of its development are worms. It is in this state that they are an excellent bait and food for rare species of fish.

What are the main stages of development?

Most often, centipedes can be found in mid-July, when the air is warm and humidity is high. Mosquitoes breed eggs. Females choose the wettest soil for their laying. Most often these are peat bogs, turf, as well as silty banks of rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, providing the most comfortable conditions for growing offspring of mosquitoes.

After the eggs have been laid, the process of their development begins. After about 12-15 days, future centipedes pupate. After another two weeks, new adult mosquitoes are born.

If the eggs were not laid at the most comfortable time of the year, then the offspring suspend the development process, and experience the winter period in this state. The situation will change only after they feel that the surrounding conditions are most favorable for them.

In total, the period of fading and subsequent development can drag on for almost a year. In this case, absolutely healthy and normal insects subsequently appear. Usually in cold and temperate climates, centipedes can produce one offspring within one year.

Do blood mosquitoes need blood?

Usually this question is of most interest to a person if he first encountered a giant mosquito. In fact, karamora at the physiological level does not have the ability to eat blood.

Important!
The thing is that in their body there are no stitching bristles that are used to pierce the skin of their victim. That is why they are absolutely not able to bite a person or any other warm-blooded creature.

In fairness, it should be noted that the proboscis is still present in the structure of the body of some centipedes. However, it is designed so that the insect has the ability to feed on nectar and pollen from flowering plants.

Although not all mosquitoes even need food. Many of them are able to live without this natural process.After the carameres leave the limits of their pupa, they face only one most important task: to lay eggs and give life to the next offspring.

Main harm

It has already been said above that centipedes are not able to bite. At the same time, they cannot be called completely harmless. The main harm they cause to crops. If the future crop is grown on peatlands or mineral soils, then mosquito larvae with a sufficiently large number can harm it.

In the process of growing berries, legumes, cereals, tuber and root crops, it is also necessary to deal with the above type of mosquitoes. The fact is that in the preparatory period for pupation, these insects most need the need to increase energy reserves.

That is why they feed on the undeveloped fruits of the future harvest. At the same time, centipedes can use almost any plants to grow offspring. Specialists in the agricultural field of activity have actually resisted large mosquitoes for quite some time.

To do this, they regularly plow the garden, using high-quality agricultural technology and effective insecticides. It will not be superfluous to also get rid of millipedes at home. Even if they do not cause real harm, nobody will like such a “neighborhood”.

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1 Comment

  1. For some reason mosquitoes don’t bite me, it’s only their buzz that infuriates me, but they come across that they start to bite, on which it depends, can anyone tell?

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