Life Cycle of Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are pesky insects. When you think about them, you likely think about the itchy annoying bites that they leave behind. There are over 3500 species of mosquitoes, with about 175 species living in the United States. In order to prevent mosquitoes, it is important to understand the different stages in their life cycle.

Eggs

Mosquitoes begin as eggs, and the eggs only hatch when exposed to water. Mosquitoes will look for standing water to lay their eggs, but they may also choose a swampy area that will become wet after they are laid. The time that the eggs take to hatch is dependent on the current conditions. Some mosquitoes lay a raft of eggs, where the eggs stick together, while others will lay single eggs.

Larvae

When mosquitoes are larvae they are water insects. They spend their time feeding and swimming in the water. Some will come to the surface to breathe. During this time, the larvae will molt several times until they become pupae.

Pupae

During this stage, the mosquito will swim around the water and not eat. They are inside a cocoon and changing into an adult mosquito. This stage can take between two to four days.

Adult Mosquito

Once the adult mosquito hatches from the cocoon, they will rest on the water until their wings dry. An adult mosquito has two wings, a thorax and six legs. The male mosquitoes have a lifespan of about ten days. They do not feed on the blood of animals or humans. Female mosquitoes have a longer life span and can live between 42-56 days. They may also hibernate if the water gets too cold. Others will lay their eggs in freezing water.

The key to eliminating mosquitoes is to prevent them from developing into adults. Addressing the standing water around your property can help, but using larvicide is another option that will prevent the mosquitoes from developing into adults. If you truly want to stop mosquitoes, you can contact the experts at Mosquito Tek to learn about the treatment options available to you.

Learn more about mosquito extermination from Mosquito Tek of Virginia Beach: https://virginia-beach.mosquitofreeliving.com/services/mosquito-control/

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