Swarm of Giant, Monster Mosquitoes Invades Florida: Get Your Bug Spray Ready!

If you thought that your summer vacation in Florida was going to be soothing and relaxing, think again. It turns out that a swarm of monster mosquitoes has invaded the Sunshine State. The massive bloodsuckers are about the size of a quarter and can even bite through clothing.

The mosquitoes currently invading Florida are actually natives. The species is known as the "shaggy-legged" gallinipper, so named because it can supposedly drink a "gallon" of blood with just one bite. These insects can be found in most of the southern and eastern portions of the U.S., their range stretching from Texas all the way to New Hampshire.  With its striking, striped legs and its aggressive biting behavior, this mosquito is the bane of summer outdoor activities. University of Florida entomologist Phil Kaufman has even warned residents that they should wear insect repellant with DEET in order to ward against these insects, according to the Daily Mail.

The mosquitoes wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so large. The biggest mosquitoes in the U.S., you can physically feel these bloodsuckers landing on your before they take a bite.

"The gallinippers are so big they're certainly very noticeable," said Doug Carlson, mosquito-control director for Indian River County in Florida, in an interview with Time. "It can feel like a small bird has landed on you."

If a mosquito that weighs enough to feel like a small bird landing on you isn't enough to creep you out, there's also the fact that the bites can be more painful than your average mosquito's.

There's only one upside to these creatures--and that's the fact that they don't transmit any harmful viruses to humans. Although they've tested positive for West Nile Virus, there's no evidence that these creatures are competent vectors of pathogens.

If you're planning on heading to Florida, be sure to cover up and wear that bug spray. It's likely that you'll need it in an area where the mosquitoes are 20 times bigger than the average insect.