#Buzz off: Mississippi removes ‘mosquito’ option for state flag replacement

Mississippi officials zapped the idea of the next state flag featuring a huge mosquito — saying the blood-sucking insect design was included in the final selections by mistake.

A nine-member commission tasked with redesigning Mississippi’s flag had narrowed down the number of public submissions from 3,000 to 147 — and on Monday posted the results which included one with a giant mosquito surrounded by a circle of stars.

But the state Department of Archives and history said Tuesday that the flag was advanced as a finalist due to a typo submitted by one of the commissioners.

“That commissioner has requested that the flag be removed from the Round Two gallery, and MDAH staff has complied,” the agency said in a statement.

The eventual replacement for the state’s former Confederate battle flag — which was retired last month — cannot include the Confederate symbol and must feature the phrase “In God We Trust,” the MDAH said.

On Friday, the commission will choose the final five flags.  Many of the remaining designs have magnolias and stars. Some have wavy lines that could represent the waters of the Mississippi River or the Gulf of Mexico.

By early September, they will agree on a single design to put on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot.

With Post wires