Banded Mosquito Culiseta annulata
This is a dreadful family of small to medium sized mosquito like creatures. Most of the stinging species in the world belong to this family. The head carries a well protected injection needle. When a victim is found, the case that protects the needle is lifted and the needle is injected. Then the animal excretes a substance to prevent the blood from congealing. Now this is the most dangerous part of the process, for this is the moment infected animals inject diseases into man's bloodstream as well. Next the animal sucks blood for some five minutes and flies off. Only female mosquitoes sting, the males are harmless, most can't bite at all as they do not have functional mouth organs. The female needs the blood to produce her eggs. The blood contains some proteins that she herself can not make.
The Banded Mosquito (also known as Banded-legged Mosquito) is the biggest species of bloodsucking mosquitoes in Western Europe. It is very similar to the tropical mosquito spreading malaria in many parts of the world. Luckily the Banded Mosquito doesn't carry malaria.
