Giant Mosquitoes are Appearing in North Carolina Post-Florence

The floodwaters that followed Hurricane Florence, which hit North Carolina on September 14, have spawned thousands of mega-mosquitoes across the state, reports CNN. The giant bugs have zebra-striped legs and are two to three times as big as the normal bloodsuckers that we see during the summer.

The species is rare, though native throughout the eastern United States. The good news, however, is that this species is not likely to make anyone sick.

“They can carry dog heartworm, but in general, they don’t actually carry human diseases,” said Michael H. Reiskind, an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at North Carolina State University, according to CNN.

However, Reiskind did say that being bitten once or hundreds of times by a giant mosquito can become a public health issue. He also said that sometimes, people have severe reactions to bites.