Elephant Mosquito (Toxorhynchites rutilus)

Elephant Mosquito
Toxorhynchites rutilus

The Elephant Mosquito (Toxorhynchites rutilus) is a very strange looking insect of the eastern United States and parts of Mexico. It is a large insect, with a body length of ca 7mm and a wingspread of 12 to 14 mm. These large mosquitos do not bite people, but rather use their long snout to sip nectar. The one in the top image shown here was at Santa Ana N.W.R., Hidalgo Co., Texas, in September, 2008. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and Canon 580 flash.