A Weird Looking Mosquito Has Captured the Internet's Attention

Just about everyone can probably agree that mosquitoes are not Mother Nature's best work. Not only can they quickly ruin outdoor fun with their buzzing, biting, and swarming, but in extreme cases, their presence can actually be deadly. That's because these insects are known to carry diseases that include West Nile Virus, Malaria, Zika, and more.

In fact, perhaps the nicest thing we can say about mosquitoes is that they do play an important role in the lives of pollinators.

Bats, dragonflies, and certain birds feed on mosquitoes, which explains a bit of the role they play in our ecosystem. However, a post online may have people looking at these bugs in a new light.

That's because a photo of a weird-looking mosquito that was posted on Reddit has gone viral, as people speculated about where this unusual-looking bug came from. The funny thing is that we've probably all encountered this breed before, even if we never noticed just how strange it looks.

Redditor Obvious_Shoe7302 posted a photo of a strange-looking bug on Reddit in the r/Weird group, asking "what kind of mosquito" he had captured on his hand.

The photos featured a close-up of his knuckles, where a decidedly funny-looking bug had perched. What made the mosquito look so strange was its fluffy legs and arching antennae, which gave the critter the appearance of something otherworldly. In fact, the bug almost looked like a miniature drone, especially with the metallic body color.

Fortunately, people were quick to pop into the comments to share some facts about the bug, which we learned is called a paddle-legged mosquito.

"This is a very beautiful species of mosquito," someone claiming to be an entomologist wrote. "Interestingly, studies have shown if the females lose their paddles due damage, males won't mate with them, but if it's the other way around, females will still mate with males."

Other people chimed in to share mosquito facts as well.

That includes one person who wrote that only female mosquitoes bite, and the reason is pretty shocking.

"They need a blood meal to make eggs," the Redditor wrote. Another person added that these insects are typically only active during the day, and that they can carry yellow fever, a condition that the World Health Organization (WHO) says is epidemic-prone but that also has a vaccine to help prevent the spread.

Listen, while this little guy is obviously cool looking, most people want to avoid mosquitoes at all costs. The good news is that there are some natural and humane ways to keep these bugs at bay, according to Healthline, and that includes using a lemon eucalyptus oil mix applied directly to your skin to deter them from coming near you.

Lavender, cinnamon oil, and citronella are also great deterrents that can be applied to your body or sprayed around your patio, deck, or other outdoor spaces.