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Some of the world's largest known mosquitoes elicit excitement in parts of North Carolina, and residents have to thank Hurricane Florence.
An epidemic of blood-sucking mosquitoes called Psorophora ciliata or "gallinippers", which can reach a size three times higher than that of ordinary mosquitoes, is reported in areas of the state flooded by the storm, creating a public nuisance , health problems and jokes. that North Carolina has a new state bird.
Videos and photos posted on social networks show the size of the monster flying insects. In one of these videos, we hear a child ask, "Why are you doing this – taking pictures of the wasps?"
"These are not wasps, baby, they are mosquitoes," says the woman filming while insects cover the windows of his car.
Cassie Vadovsky, who filmed the video, compared mosquitoes to a snowstorm and said the swarm had hit her area a few days after Hurricane Florence hit.
"He did not touch automatically. It was more progressive. It may have been three or four days after the storm before reaching this epidemic level, "she told USA Today. "And I'm not even on the side of the city that has had the big floods. Imagine how it could be finished for this purpose.
Gallinippers, also known as "gallinippers", are spate mosquitoes that lay their eggs in low areas with moist soil and grassy growth. Eggs hatch after these areas flood, and in just six days the larvae can turn into adults, according to the entomological website of the University of Florida.
Fayetteville resident Robert Phillips described the swarms as "a bad sci-fi movie".
"They were flooding me and one of them landed on me," he told Fayetteville Observer. "It was like a little blackbird. I told my wife, "My God, look at the size of this thing." I told him that I had to use a shotgun on these things if they were getting bigger.
On Wednesday, the governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, ordered a $ 4 million funding for mosquito control efforts in 27 countries subject to a major disaster declaration as a result of the recent hurricane.
Scott Harrelson, Craven County's health director, who is among those affected, would have thanked Cooper for helping to provide "a vital public health service" following the storm.
"This has been a serious problem for our county and for many others affected by Hurricane Florence," he said.
Bloomberg via Getty Images In this aerial photograph taken over New Bern, North Carolina, on September 21, we see a pig farm surrounded by floodwater.
The governor's office assured residents that most mosquitoes causing flooding did not transmit human diseases, even though they "still pose a public health problem by discouraging people from going out and hindering reconstruction efforts. ".
Michael Reiskind, associate professor in the department of entomology and phytopathology at the North Carolina State University, advised residents to wear insect repellent and long-sleeved clothing. He told KENS 5 News.
The State Department of Health and Social Services has also published tips on how to deal with the mosquito epidemic on its website, which can be found here.
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