A 9-Year Old Russian Girl Has Been a ‘Delightful Treat’ in Recent Mosquito Festival
An annual festival featuring mosquitoes as the main stars was recently conducted in the quiet town of Berezniki, Russia. As you might have already guessed, the goal is to get the most number of bites from those creatures whose stings didn't seem to have bothered the annual contestants.
Irina Ilyukhina who is only 9 years old emerged as the sweetest morsel for the insects this year. Her 43 bumps is the evidence of this incredible feat.
The participants needed to walk through the thick foliage of a forest. Afterwards, experts will examine and identify the number of bites. While little Irina delighted in gathering the sweet fruits, the mosquitoes also did a good job of biting her. She received a ceramic cup as her price.
There is a variety in the method by which the organizers will let mosquitoes attack because in last year's competition, contestants were bit for 20 minutes as they just stood, almost naked before the panel of judges.
The humid town which is tucked in the great Ural Mountains has always been the venue of the festival. However, BBC reported that there was a decline in the mosquito population this year. The 2013 Mosquito Festival champion actually had 100 mosquito bites compared to Irina's 43.
On the other hand, this didn't seem to bother the residents a lot because there are other attractions in this small town. And of course, all of them are related to mosquitoes. There are events like the mosquito costume contest which includes the awarding of those whose legs closely resembles that of blood-sucking insect. The three-day Mosquito Festival is also celebrated with a barbecue competition. This adds excitement to the revelry.
It might be hard to believe that festivals like this are held around the world but in a place where cow manure throwing competitions are a norm, it is highly probable - and believable.
