The Life Cycle of a Mosquito

 

 The Life Cycle of a Mosquito

Did you know that a female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs at a time? Having a good understanding of a mosquito’s life cycle can actually help you to prevent and eliminate mosquito populations around your home before they can even become a problem. The length of a mosquito’s life depends on various things such as temperature and moisture conditions, however, every single mosquito passes through four specific cycles of life. The more you know now, the better prepared you can be when spring brings a new crop of mosquitoes to your yard! 

Eggs

Female mosquitoes lay hundreds of eggs multiple times a week throughout their lifespan directly on or near water. If they are laid near water, they can last in these dry conditions for months and once they are flooded with water, they can hatch. Water is required for a mosquito egg to hatch. 

 

 

 

Larvae

Once an egg hatches, the second stage begins as the larvae emerge. Larvae are often called “wigglers” because of how they appear when they swim. The length of time for an egg to hate depends on food, water temperature, and the type of mosquito it is. The larvae will live in water, molting multiple times as they feed and develop into the third stage of their life cycle, called the pupa. 

 

 

Pupae

The larvae will continue to develop through the molting process and as it progresses, it moves into the third life cycle stage called the pupae stage. The pupae do not actually feed during this cycle but will continue to live in the water. In this stage, the mosquito is referred to as a “tumbler” for the way they fall into deeper parts of the water because they need to avoid predators. It takes several days for the pupae to emerge into adult mosquitos; the exact number depends on species and water temperature. 

 

Adult  

Once they are fully developed, the mosquito will emerge from the water and begin flying a short time after they have dried out and their body parts have hardened. Male mosquitoes begin mating with females after their reproductive organs develop which only takes a day or two. Female mosquitoes mate only one single time, but they continue to lay eggs after every blood meal they enjoy until the day they die. Under ideal conditions, females can live upwards of a month, feeding and laying eggs as long as they can. An adult mosquito has a head with two eyes, a thorax, a pair of wings with six jointed legs, and the proboscis, or straw-like tube that covers six thin needles that the mosquito uses to cut the skin and suck out blood.