Mosquito Life Cycle
Life cycle consists of egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. All mosquitoes require water for complete development.
Egg stage:
- Eggs may be laid singly at waterline in soil or in containers, or in rafts on water surface
- Incubation varies according to habitat, geographic location, amount of daylight, temperature, and species
- Most eggs hatch into larvae within 48 hours during the peak of summer
- Eggs laid in the fall may overwinter
- Eggs laid by some kinds of mosquitoes resist drying out and can remain viable in the dried state for months or years
Larval Stage:
- Also called “wigglers”
- Must have water to complete development
- Stagnant water is ideal
- 4 developmental stages “ larval instars”
- Air tube for breathing called a “siphon” that penetrates the surface of the water
- Feed on microorganisms and organic debris in water column
- Some larvae have piercing siphons and attach to the roots of submerged aquatic plants for oxygen
Pupal Stage:
- Comma-shaped body also called “tumblers”
- Stage only lasts a few days
- Pupae do not feed
- Air tube for breathing called a “trumpet” that penetrates the surface of the water
Adult "Imago" Stage:
- Newly emerged adults rest on the water surface while wings dry and harden
- Average adult lives from 2 to 3 weeks, over-wintering adults live 6 to 8 months
- Only females search for a blood meal
- Many mosquitoes stay very close to their breeding site
- Blood meal is used for egg development
- First batch of eggs in spring may be produced autogenously (without a blood meal)
- Males live only long enough to breed and do not feed on blood
- Females can lay as many as 200 eggs with each blood meal and can have many blood meals in her lifetime