World's Largest Mosquito Sculpture

"18 feet long, made of metal and slightly stylized, but still disturbingly real. Stands inside of Lee County Mosquito Control District headquarters," the Roadside America reports. Call before you visit; sometimes it's in storage or off somewhere on a parade float.

"It's unique looking to say the least. The people inside were friendly and offered us a tour, but we didn't have the time. We had no idea they gave tours or we would have gone at a more convenient time for us. We took some pictures and looked at their display in the hallway leading to the mosquito."

"...He said to call ahead during the work week for a tour of the Mosquito Control Center and to get up close with the giant insect. The airfield and the Mosquito Control Center are adjacent to a neighborhood where the every home has a hangar instead of a garage."

"The Lee County Mosquito Control District was established in 1958 by an act of the Florida Legislature as an independent district and has been providing uninterrupted mosquito control services to the citizens of Lee County for over sixty years. During those years the District has remained at the forefront of mosquito control, helping to develop control technologies that are effective and sensitive to Florida’s unique natural habitats and wildlife," the official website says.

"Lee County’s many acres of salt marsh and other wetlands are some of the most prolific mosquito breeding habitats on earth. In order to provide a comfortable outdoor environment for Lee County citizens and reduce the threat of diseases posed by mosquitoes, the District continually monitors these habitats and endeavors to control mosquitoes in the aquatic immature stages before they become flying and biting adult mosquitoes.

"Florida’s development history is directly linked to success in controlling mosquitoes and abating the diseases they carry."