Life Cycles
of Mosquitoes
The mosquito is a small flying insect found all over the world. The mosquito must have water in order to reproduce, and its appetite for blood results in a bite that spreads disease to many different species, including humans.
Egg
A mosquito lays its eggs in water, but that water need only be a tiny amount, such as the rim of a flowerpot. The female mosquito requires blood in order to produce eggs, which is why she bites animals and people.
Larvae
Eggs hatch into larvae in about two days. They swim in the water, but need air to breathe. Most mosquito prevention programs target mosquitoes at this stage of development, before they are airborne and spread to wider areas.
Pupae
Larvae become pupae after growing and molting four times. They change into adults in about two days. The whole life cycle--from egg to adult--takes about 14 days, depending on air and water temperature.
Adult
The male mosquito usually lives a much shorter life than the female, about 10 to 20 days. A female mosquito can live up to 100 days, depending on species.
Fun Fact
Because the male mosquito does not produce eggs, he does not need to eat blood. He does not bite people or animals, preferring to dine on plant nectar instead.
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