A shimmering, winged creature emerges from its pupal form at the water’s surface. In this video by Alvaro Mendoza Productions, the beauty and design of this insect’s final metamorphosis is showcased. But is this an insect that might normally be thought of with appreciation?
This is a mosquito, a small fly of the Culicidae family. The females of the species enjoy a diet of blood from living vertebrates, and some carry diseases. And yet, this glistening clip might be a surprising contrast to what we’d normally think of as a sometimes-dangerous pest.
Related videos: Here’s What Happens Inside You When a Mosquito Bites by Ed Yong at National Geographic, and The Natural History of the Mosquito.
There are more insect videos in the archives.
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