The “big mosquitoes” people notice are usually either actual large mosquito species or mosquito look‑alikes with their own common names.

Short answer

  • The biggest true mosquitoes are often called elephant mosquitoes (genus Toxorhynchites), sometimes “Australian elephant mosquito.”
  • A large biting species in the Americas is called the gallinipper (Psorophora ciliata).
  • Many “huge mosquitoes” in houses and around lights are actually crane flies , nicknamed “mosquito hawks,” “mosquito eaters,” or “jimmy spinners,” not real mosquitoes.

These are the names most people are referring to when they ask “what are the big mosquitoes called.”

Quick Scoop: What Are the Big Mosquitoes Called?

1. The truly giant mosquito: “elephant mosquito”

  • Common name: Elephant mosquito or Australian elephant mosquito.
  • Scientific name (one well‑known species): Toxorhynchites speciosus.
  • Size: Can reach about 1–1.5 inches long, making it one of the largest mosquitoes in the world.
  • Fun twist: Adults don’t drink blood; they feed on nectar and similar sugary sources, and their larvae actually eat other mosquito larvae.

So if you’ve seen a huge, colorful “mosquito” that doesn’t seem interested in biting you, it might be one of these elephant mosquitoes.

2. The big biter people complain about: “gallinipper”

  • Common name: Gallinipper , also called the shaggy‑legged mosquito.
  • Scientific name: Psorophora ciliata.
  • Size: Often around 0.5–1 inch, much larger than typical backyard mosquitoes.
  • Where found: Native to parts of North and South America, often noted in the southeastern United States and Florida, especially after heavy rain or flooding.

When people online talk about “monster mosquitoes that really hurt when they bite,” they’re often talking about gallinippers.

3. The “big mosquitoes” that aren’t mosquitoes: crane flies

A lot of viral photos and forum posts about “giant mosquitoes” are actually about a different insect group.

  • Common names people use:
    • Crane flies
    • Mosquito hawks
    • Mosquito eaters
    • Gollywhoppers
    • Jimmy spinners
  • Family: Tipulidae (they’re flies, not true mosquitoes).
  • Size: Can be around an inch or more in body length with long, spindly legs and a large wingspan.
  • Important detail: Adults don’t bite people or suck blood.

Because they look like a giant, flimsy mosquito and often bang into windows or lights at night, they’re widely mistaken for “huge mosquitoes.”

4. Quick name checklist

If you’re trying to match what you saw to a name:

  • Big, colorful, doesn’t bite → likely elephant mosquito (Toxorhynchites).
  • Big, aggressive biter, especially in the southeastern U.S. → likely gallinipper (Psorophora ciliata).
  • Very long legs, clumsy flyer around lights, no biting → likely crane fly , also called a “mosquito hawk” or “mosquito eater.”

5. Little forum‑style aside

You’ll often see posts like:

“I just saw the biggest mosquito of my life on my wall — do these things eat other mosquitoes or me?”

Most replies then argue over whether it’s a crane fly (“harmless mosquito eater”), a gallinipper (“those bites hurt!”), or an elephant mosquito (“the big non‑biter that hunts other mosquitoes”).

TL;DR:
The big mosquitoes are commonly called elephant mosquitoes (huge, non‑biting, genus Toxorhynchites) and gallinippers (large biting mosquito, Psorophora ciliata). Many “giant mosquitoes” around lights are actually harmless crane flies , often nicknamed “mosquito hawks” or “mosquito eaters.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.