What is the Lifespan of a Mosquito?
The lifespan of a mosquito is about two months maximum. During their relatively short lifespan, mosquitoes are constantly reproducing and helping grow their population. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae turn into pupae and eventually become adults in about 14 days.
When mosquitoes are adults, they will begin to reproduce, lay eggs, and start the life cycle all over again. Mosquitoes die when temperatures drop in the fall or winter, when they’re preyed on, or when they die off naturally when two months pass.
Mosquito Life Cycle
A mosquito will take about two weeks to become an adult. The general process of this life cycle is:
- After biting and feeding on someone, a female mosquito is able to reproduce. They will lay their eggs on or near stagnant water.
- Mosquito eggs will hatch within 24 to 72 hours. When the larvae emerge from the eggs, they are typically seen wiggling in the water. The larvae will feed on algae, protozoans, and other organic material.
- In anywhere from 7–120 days, the larvae reach the pupal stage. Instead of feeding, the pupae spend a couple of days at the surface of the water to get used to the air.
- Three days after the pupal stage begins, the adult mosquito emerges. Only a day later, the adult mosquitoes are able to breed. Female mosquitoes can reproduce and lay eggs throughout her lifetime.
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Do Mosquitoes Live For A Long Time?
Female mosquitoes live much longer than their male counterparts. The males, who feed off of the nectar of plants, live typically for a week or two. Female mosquitoes, on the other hand, can live for over a month. Mosquito eggs, if they do not hatch, can survive for months at a time before hatching. Although mosquitoes have a relatively short life cycle, their rapid rate of reproduction keeps mosquito populations at a constant during the summer months.
When Do Mosquitoes Die Off?
Unlike certain insects, mosquitoes do not die after biting someone. In fact, it’s nearly the opposite: female mosquitoes must feed in order to reproduce. All types of mosquitoes die off after about two months. Entire populations of mosquitoes die off when the warmer temperatures of spring and summer come to an end. This is because mosquitoes cannot function at temperatures less than 50 degrees. Females can occasionally hibernate, and unhatched eggs can survive the winter.
What is the Lifespan of a Mosquito? in Knoxville TN
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