“Did you know that not all mosquitoes look the same?

While most of the almost 3,600 species of mosquitoes on Earth are black, gray, or brown, there are some brightly colored ones out there.

These fancy-looking mosquitoes are a sight to behold, with their iridescent bodies and shaggy leg fringes.

One of the most fabulous of these fancy mosquitoes is Sabethes cyaneus, also known as the ”

“Hollywood showgirl of mosquitoes.”” This species is native to tropical South American rainforests and boasts a purple and blue iridescent body, fluffy antenna, and shaggy violet leg fringe that resembles a cowgirl boot in a honky tonk bar.

Interestingly, both male and female Sabethes mosquitoes have this leg fringe, which seems contradictory to the laws of aerodynamics.

This just goes to show that the mating behavior of mosquitoes is more complex than previously thought.

Like birds, female mosquitoes have a lot of power when it comes to choosing a mate. Male mosquitoes of most species have to put on a little show for the females in order to find a mate.

They swarm up around sunset and wait for the females to show interest in their little nightclub. When the females arrive, the males start doing little dances, flying in loops and zigzags.

When a female is impressed by a male’s dance, she takes off with him, they copulate, and she goes to lay eggs in a cesspool. It’s all very romantic.

While mosquitoes are often seen as pesky and annoying, these fancy-looking mosquitoes remind us that there is beauty in all creatures, even those that we may not appreciate.”