Let’s learn about the Four-Stage Mosquito Life Cycle that can help you to prevent mosquitoes around your homes and also help you to choose the right pesticides for your needs.
Understanding Mosquito Life Cycle
Mosquitoes are members of the order Diptera ‘Culicidae’. Mosquitoes have a small and slender body, one pair of wings, three pairs of legs and are specially adapted for flying and biting. The Mosquito is a tiny creature with a big impact on our lives. They are known for their itchy bites and disease spreading abilities. Understanding the mosquito life cycle can help you in controlling their population and preventing mosquitoes around your home and mosquito-borne illnesses like Malaria, Dengue and Zika.
The contamination of water can support mosquito production. Mosquitoes are discovered in mines and mountain peaks at 14000 feet. There are over 3500 species of mosquitoes found throughout the world, and approximately 176 are found in the United States.
Mosquito Life Cycle
The mosquito grows in standing water. They need still or stagnant water like ponds, puddles, bird baths, or containers to lay eggs. Some of this is mosquitoes breed in temporary water habitats like flood water, while others are considered permanent water to breed. Some species of mosquitoes are evolved so that they can lay their eggs in natural or artificial containers.
All species of mosquitoes undergo the four stages of the mosquito life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
Stage 1: The Mosquito Eggs
The female mosquito lays their egg mostly in the surface of standing water or along edges, in tree holes, flood-prone areas from rain, irrigation or flooding. The female mosquitoes Lay eggs either singly (like anopheles) or in rafts. The mosquito eggs hatch in 1 to 3 days. The eggs hatch faster in warm weather. Some species of mosquitoes lay drought-resistant eggs that can survive in dry conditions for months and hatch once water is present.
Stage 2: Larval Stage
The larval stage begins after the mosquito egg hatches. The mosquito larvae have a longitude body that hangs at the surface of the water. They come to the water surface to get oxygen by the air tube called a ‘siphon’. They get their food by filter feeding on microorganisms near the water surface. To protect from danger, the larvae can dive deeper into water in S-like motion, that is why they get called ‘wigglers’. The larval stage ranges from 4 to 14 days depending on water temperature, species and food availability.
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Stage 3: Pupal Stage
In the third stage, no feeding occurs, however, the pups still require Oxygen and take air at the surface of water. They are sensitive to light and other environmental disturbances. Pupa responds by rolling below the surface to escape to Deep or water, giving them the nickname’ Tumblers’. The puple stage lasts from 11/2 to 4 days. After the Pupae stage, the pupa’s skin splits from their back, and newly formed adult slowly emerges and rests on the surface of water.
Stage 4: Adult Mosquitoes
The adult mosquito emerge and climbs out on to the water surface to dry and Fly Away. Generally the male mosquito emerge first and linger breeding sites and waiting for the female. The male mosquitoes feed on plant nectar and do not take blood meals and will live only 6 to 7 days on average. While the female mosquitoes needs human blood or animal blood for egg production. The female mosquito can live for 5 months or longer. The average female life span is about 6 weeks.
FAQs on Mosquito Life Cycle
What are the stages of the mosquito life cycle?
The mosquito life cycle has four stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult.
Where do mosquitoes lay their eggs?
The mosquito lay their egg on the surface of stagnant or slow moving water like ponds, flower pot and containers.
How long do mosquito live?
The female mosquito lifespan typically 2 to 4 weeks, and male mosquito lives around 5 to 10 days. Female mosquitoes live longer because they feed on blood and lay eggs while male do not bite and feed on plants nector.
Why do female mosquitoes bite?
Female mosquitoes leave protein from blood to develop their eggs. While mosquitoes feed only on nectar and plant juices.