The perpetually wet and warm climate Australia during summer ensures that there is never a shortage of mosquitoes. Ranging from covert ankle-biters to ridiculously sized creatures fit for a horror movie, mozzies - as the Australians affectionately call them - are always looking for a free meal.
Aside from being a nuisance while traveling in Australia, mosquitoes pose two real threats: disease and infection. Scratching mosquito bites with dirty fingernails in a tropical environment can quickly turn a tiny problem into a fever-causing infection. Oozing mosquito bites on legs are a common site found on backpackers in Australia.
