The larvae of Toxorhynchites eat the larvae of other mosquitoes, making them beneficial to humans. The largest non-blood sucking mosquitoes on earth belong to the Toxorhynchites species, also known as the elephant mosquito. However, many mosquitoes don’t even consume human blood. They may all look the same while buzzing around your head, but many of the more than 3,000 mosquito species are harmless. The most dangerous mosquitoes are certain species of Anopheles, Aedes and Culex- Aedes aegypti alone spreads LF, Zika, dengue, yellow fever, and more. The Anopheles mosquito, which is the main spreader of malaria in tropical and sub-tropical climates, can be found virtually everywhere except Antarctica. Also known as elephantiasis, LF causes swollen limbs, severe pain, and social discrimination among millions of the world’s most vulnerable people. For example, mosquitoes spread the parasites that cause lymphatic filariasis (LF), one of the world’s leading causes of disability. In addition to spreading deadly diseases like malaria, yellow fever, and dengue, these small insects can have a big impact on a person’s health and wellbeing. Even today, the mosquito is responsible for over 1 million deaths each year. Though only female mosquitoes feed on humans, the mosquito remains the deadliest animal in the world. Plasmodium falciparum malaria-the deadliest-is most common in sub-Saharan Africa, where it causes more than 400,000 deaths a year, the majority of whom are children under five.

We now know that several Plasmodium species transmitted by mosquitoes can cause human malaria. Now, August 20th is known as World Mosquito Day to commemorate Sir Ronald Ross’ pivotal discovery. He soon proved that the female Anopheles mosquito is the animal responsible for transmitting malaria. While dissecting the stomach tissue of a mosquito on August 20, 1897, Sir Ronald Ross discovered the malaria parasite inside. In honor of World Mosquito Day, we broke down 10 facts about the world’s deadliest animal, and the important work being done to defeat the diseases it transmits. But its ability to rapidly spread deadly and disabling diseases to humans like malaria, lymphatic filariasis, Zika, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever, and dengue make it an incredibly dangerous adversary.

It’s easy for the tiny mosquito to fly under the radar.

Parasite in the city death animations