Photographer battles Siberian mosquito swarm to capture rare shot
The photographer almost lost his feet to voracious insects for this fantastic shot. When he removed his socks, the starved insects swarmed over his legs. These harrowing experiences, eagerly exploited by mosquitoes, didn't occur in the humid Amazon forests but in the cold expanses of Siberia.
14 May 2024 13:41
Amos Chapple, the photographer engulfed by a swarm, shared his experience on social media. It wasn't a planned experiment to capture extraordinary photos but an unforeseen encounter crafted by nature.
"On this morning I’d slipped and fallen into a stream. As I took my boots off to squeeze out my socks, the mosquito swarm moved from my head to my feet and I knew I had the shot needed to illustrate that detail of Arctic forest hell", he posted on Instagram.
He momentarily allowed the mosquitoes to feast on his foot to capture the scene. He mentioned that these relentless companions buzzed menacingly from dawn till dusk, making it a unique aspect of his journey that couldn’t be portrayed in any other way.
"After waiting a minute or so for the mosquitos to gather for the photo I slapped and swore and pulled my socks back on. The feeling walking away was less an itch than a burning, awful heat," the traveller recounted.
Bloodthirsty swarm, yet male mosquitoes dine on pollen
According to YourWeather.com, the Far North during summer presents an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, allowing them to reproduce on a massive scale. They seize the opportunity as soon as a potential host is within reach.
Only female mosquitoes bite. Males abstain from bloodshed. They require little to survive, leading brief, carefree lives, sometimes feeding on flower pollen.
Females, on the other hand, actively seek out hosts similar to vampires. They need blood to support their immense efforts, so they lay around 300 eggs, most of which will develop into the next generation.
