Each of the species has a scientific name that is latin, such as Culex tarsalis. These names are used in a descriptive manner so that the name tells something about this particular mosquito. Some species have what is called "common names" as well as scientific names, such as Anopheles freeborni, the "Western malaria mosquito".
All mosquitoes must have water in which to complete their life cycle. This water can range in quality from melted snow water to sewage effluent and it can be in any container imaginable. The type of water in which the mosquito larvae is found can be an aid to the identification of which species it may be. Also, the adult mosquitoes show a very distinct preference for the types of sources in which to lay their eggs. They lay their eggs in such places such as tree holes that periodically hold water, tide water pools in salt marshes, sewage effluent ponds, irrigated pastures, rain water ponds, etc. Each species therefore has unique environmental requirements for the maintenance of its life cycle.
The feeding habits of mosquitoes are quite unique in that it is only the adult females that bite man and other animals. The male mosquitoes feed only on plant juices. Some female mosquitoes prefer to feed on only one type of animal or they can feed on a variety of animals. Female mosquitoes feed on man, domesticated animals, such as cattle, horses, goats, etc; all types of birds including chickens; all types of wild animals including deer, rabbits; and they also feed on snakes, lizards, frogs, and toads.
Most female mosquitoes have to feed on an animal and get a sufficient blood meal before she can develop eggs. If they do not get this blood meal, then they will die without laying viable eggs. However, some species of mosquitoes have developed the means to lay viable eggs without getting a blood meal.
The flight habits of mosquitoes depend again on the species with which we are dealing. Most domestic species remain fairly close to their point of origin while some species known for their migration habits are often an annoyance far from their breeding place. The flight range for females is usually longer than that of males. Many times wind is a factor in the dispersal or migration of mosquitoes. Most mosquitoes stay within a mile or two of their source. However, some have been recorded as far as 75 miles from their breeding source.
The length of life of the adult mosquito usually depends on several factors: temperature, humidity, sex of the mosquito and time of year. Most males live a very short time, about a week; and females live about a month depending on the above factors.
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Mosquito Life Cycle
Mosquito Life Cycle
The mosquito goes through four separate and distinct stages of its life cycle and they are as follows: Egg, Larva, pupa, and adult. Each of these stages can be easily recognized by their special appearance. There are four common groups of mosquitoes living in the Bay Area. They are Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Culiseta.
Egg : Eggs are laid one at a time and they float on the surface of the water. In the case of Culex and Culiseta species, the eggs are stuck together in rafts of a hundred or more eggs. Anopheles and Aedes species do not make egg rafts but lay their eggs separately. Culex, Culiseta, and Anopheles lay their eggs on water while Aedes lay their eggs on damp soil that will be flooded by water. Most eggs hatch into larvae within 48 hours.
Larva : The larva (larvae - plural) live in the water and come to the surface to breathe. They shed their skin four times growing larger after each molting. Most larvae have siphon tubes for breathing and hang from the water surface. Anopheles larvae do not have a siphon and they lay parallel to the water surface. The larva feed on micro-organisms and organic matter in the water. On the fourth molt the larva changes into a pupa.
Pupa: The pupal stage is a resting, non-feeding stage. This is the time the mosquito turns into an adult. It takes about two days before the adult is fully developed. When development is complete, the pupal skin splits and the mosquito emerges as an adult.
Adult: The newly emerged adult rests on the surface of the water for a short time to allow itself to dry and all its parts to harden. Also, the wings have to spread out and dry properly before it can fly.
The egg, larvae and pupae stages depend on temperature and species characteristics as to how long it takes for development. For instance, Culex tarsalis might go through its life cycle in 14 days at 70 F and take only 10 days at 80 F. Also, some species have naturally adapted to go through their entire life cycle in as little as four days or as long as one month.
The following pages show a typical mosquito egg raft, larva, pupa, and adult, and explains more about each stage.
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Mosquito Egg Raft
Culex mosquitoes lay their eggs on
the surface of fresh or stagnant water. The water may be in tin cans, barrels,
horse troughs, ornamental ponds, swimming pools, puddles, creeks, ditches, or
marshy areas. Mosquitoes prefer water sheltered from the wind by grass and
weeds.
Culex mosquitoes usually lay their eggs at night. A mosquito may lay a raft of eggs every third night during its life span.
Culex mosquitoes lay their eggs one at a time, sticking them together to form a raft of from 200- 300 eggs. A raft of eggs looks like a speck of soot floating on the water and is about 1/4 inch long and 1/8 inch wide.
Tiny mosquito larvae emerge from the eggs within 24 hours.
Culex mosquitoes usually lay their eggs at night. A mosquito may lay a raft of eggs every third night during its life span.
Culex mosquitoes lay their eggs one at a time, sticking them together to form a raft of from 200- 300 eggs. A raft of eggs looks like a speck of soot floating on the water and is about 1/4 inch long and 1/8 inch wide.
Tiny mosquito larvae emerge from the eggs within 24 hours.
Notes: Anopheles mosquitoes lay their eggs singly on the water, not in rafts. Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs singly on damp soil. Aedes eggs hatch only when flooded with water (salt water high tides, irrigated pastures, treeholes, flooded stream bottoms, etc.).
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Mosquito Larva
Mosquito larvae, commonly called "wigglers" or "wrigglers", must live in water from 7 to 14 days depending on water temperature.
Larvae must come to the surface at frequent intervals to obtain oxygen through a breathing tube called a siphon. The larva eats algae and small organisms which live in the water.
During growth, the larva molts (sheds its skin) four times. The stages between molts are called instars. At the 4th instar, the larva reaches a length of almost 1/2 inch.
When the 4th instar larva molts it becomes a pupa.
Note : Anopheles are unlike Culex and Aedes larvae since they do not have a breathing tube, they must lie parallel to the water surface in order to get a supply of oxygen through a breathing opening.
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Mosquito Pupa
Mosquito pupae, commonly called "tumblers", must live in water from 1 to 4 days, depending upon species and temperature.
The pupa is lighter than water and therefore floats at the surface. It takes oxygen through two breathing tubes called "trumpets". When it is disturbed it dives in a jerking, tumbling motion and then floats back to the surface. The pupa does not eat.
The metamorphosis of the mosquito into an adult is completed within the pupal case.
The adult mosquito splits the pupal case and emerges to the surface of the water where it rests until its body can dry and harden.
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Mosquito Adult
Only female mosquitoes bite animals and drink blood. Male mosquitoes do not bite, but feed on the nectar of flowers.
Aedes mosquitoes are painful and persistent biters, attacking during daylight hours (not at night). They do not enter dwellings, and they prefer to bite mammals like humans. Aedes mosquitoes are strong fliers and are known to fly many miles from their breeding sources.
Culex mosquitoes are painful and persistent biters also, but prefer to attack at dusk and after dark, and readily enter dwellings for blood meals. Domestic and wild birds are preferred over man, cows, and horses. Culex tarsalis is known to transmit encephalitis (sleeping sickness) to man and horses. Culex are generally weak fliers and do not move far from home, although they have been known to fly up to two miles. Culex usually live only a few weeks during the warm summer months.
Those females which emerge in late summer search for sheltered areas where they "hibernate" until spring. Warm weather brings her out in search of water on which to lay her eggs.
Culiseta mosquitoes are moderately aggressive biters, attacking in the evening hours or in shade during the day.
Anopheles mosquitoes are the only mosquito which transmits malaria to man.
Mosquito adult, larva and pupa drawings modified from
Aquatic Entomology , by W. Patrick McCafferty; Illustrations by Arwin V.
Provonsha; Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1983
