How long a mosquito lives - its life cycle

Mosquitoes are insects of the so-called buzzers which play an important role in the world's ecosystems. The life cycle of a mosquito is divided into four phases, which are described below.

PHASES OF THE LIFE CYCLE

Each mosquito, regardless of sex or strain, goes through four stages of development, as follows: 

Mosquito eggsMosquitoes usually lay several hundred eggs at a time. They only hatch when in contact with water. Different mosquito species prefer different watery habitats for egg-laying, from floodplains to a small amount of standing water that may accumulate in containers. 

Mosquito larvae: Mosquito eggs develop into larvae. They usually hang upside down from the surface of the water in which they hatch and breathe through a siphon. Because their mobility is limited, the larvae are an easy food for fish, frogs, salamanders etc. They also filter organic matter in the water by digesting decaying leaves and other microorganisms. They also excrete nitrogen and other micro-organisms that promote plant growth. 

Pupa: Mosquito larvae grow and change four times before becoming pupae. At this stage they have formed a tail capable of propelling themselves through water. As pupae they can pause their feeding habits and rest while metamorphosis takes place. In a few days they emerge from the water surface as adult mosquitoes. 

Adult mosquitoes: After drying, the adult mosquito flies away. They feed on nectar from fruits, flowers and other plants. Like other flying insects, they are useful pollinators.

 HALF-LIFE OF A MOSQUITO

The lifespan of a mosquito ranges from 10 to 30 days, even if they have no prey to bite. Their lifespan is not shortened even if they do not eat blood.

MOSQUITO SPECIES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS 

There are about 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world. It is worth noting that mosquito-borne diseases can have enormous effects on people and animal ecosystems. 

The most common ones and their characteristics are described below.

Yellow fever mosquito: It feeds on blood and can transmit dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. It bites mainly during the day and lives in urban areas in tropical and subtropical regions. It prefers to feed on humans and commonly lives indoors. 

Asian tiger mosquito: It transmits dengue, chikungunya and dirofilariasis. It originated in Asia and travels worldwide. Unlike the yellow fever mosquito, it can survive in colder climates. 

Anopheles mosquito: They lay their eggs with integrated flowering devices on both sides. Females lay 50 to 200 eggs at a time, which take two to three days to hatch. It transmits malaria and bites mainly at night. 

Common mosquito: They bite humans, mammals and birds. They live in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and transmit West Nile virus.

Pitcher plant mosquito: They look for small pools for their eggs such as those found inside the leaves of the purple carnivorous pitcher plant. They deposit their eggs and escape to safety. Ants, moths and flies that land on the plant can drown and end up as food for the developing midge larvae. It is unique because it is the only species that has biting females and non-biting females. 

Mosquito: Found on the Atlantic coast from Canada to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. They tend to stay close to breeding sites and can travel up to 64 km in search of blood. They bite aggressively at day or night on humans, mammals, birds and reptiles. 

What is the sex of the biting mosquito?

Female mosquitoes are the ones that bite because they need an external source of protein for their bones to develop. They can lay eggs up to three times in their life cycle and will feed on various animals to develop their eggs. 

How do mosquitoes detect us at home to bite us?

Mosquitoes detect us through the carbon dioxide we exhale, so those who exhale high levels of CO2 are more likely to be bitten. 

Mosquitoes bite everyone, but it is true that some people do not react to mosquito bites as well as others. 

Consequences of reproduction

Large numbers of mosquitoes can seriously affect the ecosystem, as well as being a source of spreading diseases and viruses to people and animals such as monkeys, birds and even arctic caribou. 

Solutions to combat mosquitoes

There are a number of products to combat mosquitoes. 

An effective solution is to install mosquito nets on both windows and doors to prevent them from entering your home. At Sistemas24H we manufacture made-to-measure mosquito nets so you don't have to deal with pesky mosquitoes. 

Don't think twice and get a mosquito net now!