Colorado has plenty of dangerous wild animals to be cautious around. These creatures include snakes, bears, mountain lions, and most recently, wolves. However, the most dangerous creature in the world also calls Colorado home and will be making its return to the state later this year.

What is the Most Dangerous Creature in Colorado?

While they're not big, ferocious, or even really scary, the most dangerous creature in the world is the mosquito.

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All of the species of mosquitos that are native to the Centennial State fall into either the genus known as Aedes or the Culex genus. However, the latter genus is the one that Coloradans should be more cautious about.

The Culex mosquitos will likely be the ones that bite you at night when temperatures are cooler and carry dangerous bugs (no pun intended) which include Western equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, and most notably, the notorious West Nile Virus.

While the mosquito is classified as the most dangerous creature on the planet, that title is earned primarily due to the insect carrying the deadly Zika virus, which has yet to be found in Colorado.

How Do You Protect Yourself from Colorado's Most Dangerous Creature?

Both the Culex and Aedes mosquitos thrive around standing water so it's recommended that Coloradans eliminate any stagnant pools of water around their property that may attract the bug.

In addition, bug spray is also recommended when spending time outdoors during the warmer months, as the mosquitos are estimated to be returning to Colorado in April and sticking around until October, with the summer months seeing the most activity.

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