Did You Know Tigers Could Fly?

July 28, 2025

We know of six species of tigers: The Bengal Tiger ,Siberian Tiger , Sumatran Tiger, Malayan Tiger, Indochinese Tiger, and South China Tiger. But did you know there is a seventh type of tiger just as blood thirsty ? This tiger is one we would rather not have around, its’ called the Ferocious Tiger Mosquito.

Accidentally brought into the United States in the 1980′s from Asia the Tiger Mosquito first brought discomfort to the south. With the recent hot spell it has caused the Tiger Mosquito to flourish. Researchers have shown with only a slight increase in temperature the Tiger Mosquito multiplies like overzealous bunnies.

First reported in 1985 in Huston TX, it is believed to have arrived in old tires from Asia bound for recycling. In just one year they were already in Florida and heading north. Within 20 years making homes in Pennsylvania and the upper mid west the Tiger Mosquito is now firmly entrenched and heading east and north. To make it even worse with the recent decline in bats and an increase in summer temperatures the Tiger Mosquito is flourishing making not only the nighttime unbearable but the daytime too.

What makes the Tiger Mosquito so unique is it does not need a lagoon to bear it’s young , but just a small amount of water. Preferring smaller pockets of water such as tree holes, a cup of water or even old tires used for swings filled with water are perfect breeding areas for the tiger Mosquito. You can say basically any small container that can hold rain water will make a good breeding home.

We usually associate mosquitoes with dusk and early morning but the Tiger Mosquitoes prefer the day time as much as the night time making the mosquito misery a 24 hour fight. In some places the Tiger Mosquito has displaced the most common mosquito found is those areas.

The Tiger Mosquito is also known for the disease it can carry : LaCrosses encephalitis, yellow fever and dengue fever. So when you add it up they are one nasty little insect for a mosquito that is smaller than most. Being small does not affect it’s bite and it’s bite is more irritable than most mosquito bites. If you are hoping to kill the Tiger Mosquito before it bites you it is also known for being very fast, so the chance is slim you will get it before it gets you.

Unlike other mosquitoes where in some cases you simply just drain a swamp or water hole and rid it of mosquitoes, with the Tiger Mosquitoes an y man made item that can hold water is a potential breeding ground for them. There is hope however: the one thing a Tiger Mosquito larva does not like is dry heat. No moister no Tiger Mosquito so where the lack of rain in some areas may not be good for some things it will keep the Tiger Mosquito in check making one less thing people may have to worry about. Unfortunately in some areas this may be short lived with wetter weather always in the future.

You can help:: one option is by putting up bat houses in the hope of attracting bats. When you think of it, a single bat can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes in a given night and this can help by keeping the Tiger Mosquito in check along with other night time insects. So having a bat house with just a few bats can make your summer just a little more easier to tolerate.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/heat-wave-super-mosquitoes-invade-14139345

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/mosquitos-insects-bugs-bites-health-west-nile-virus-summer-13825020

http://abcnews.go.com/video/video?id=8098068

http:/ http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/dengue-fever-cases-hit-florida-11250235/abcnews.go.com/video/video?id=7903024

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/07/0730_wiretigermoz.html

Categories: Bats, Media