How long do mosquitoes live?

The most hated, most vulnerable and, at the same time, the most lethal animal on the planet; that's the mosquito. Notably, this term does not refer to a species specific but the set of species belonging to the phylum of arthropods, the class of insects, the order of diptera, and specifically to the suborder of nematocera. Their life expectancy is determined by their species and sex, normally it ranges from 1 to 4 weeks.

Mosquitoes lifespan

How long do mosquitoes live in house?

A mosquito begins its life cycle as a tiny egg, after the female mosquito deposits with a large number of siblings, approximately 200 eggs. The incubation cycle depends on environmental factors, although it normally ranges from 3 to 7 days. After the egg hatches, the mosquito undergoes two metamorphoses: the first, from egg to pupa; the second, from pupa to mosquito (adult).

Once the mosquito reaches its last stage, its life expectancy normally varies between 7 and 30 days. It is important to highlight that the females of this species have a longer life expectancy, reaching 30 days, and exceeding 7 days of male life.

How long does each stage of a mosquito's life last?

As previously mentioned, the life cycle of mosquitoes is made up of four stages, the duration of which is as follows:

• Incubation:between 3 and 7 days (depending on the ambient temperature).
• Larva: approximately 7 days.
• Pupa:2 days.
• Mosquito: between 7 and 30 days (depending on the sex of the species).

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Where do mosquitoes live?

All kinds of mosquito species can be found on the five great continents. However, these insects have a preference for hot and humid climates, so the warmer and wetter an environment, the greater the mosquito population. In this order of ideas, the rain forest is the preferred biome for mosquitoes and where its population is much higher.

What do mosquitoes eat?

Mosquitoes, like most insects, show differences, both physical and behavioral, between females and males of their species. The feeding of this set of species is a clear example of the aforementioned:

• Mosquito (male): it feeds on the nectar of the flowers and matter in a state of degradation.
• Mosquito (female): feeds on the blood of other animals (blood suckers).

Not all families belonging to the suborder of the nematoceros feed in the aforementioned way; the majority of mosquito species live on plants and fruit nectar. Only 6% of the females of the 2,500 species of existing mosquitoes are blood-sucking.

How long do mosquitoes live for without blood?

A mosquito, regardless of its sex and the family to which it belongs - culicids, psychedids, quironomids or tipulids - can live its entire adult stage without feeding on the blood of other animals, since its main food is the nectar of fruits and plants.

However, the females of some mosquito species need the blood of other animals to produce eggs (oogenesis) and to be able to reproduce effectively. Only the blood of other animals can give them the amino acids and other substances necessary for the production of their eggs.

Interesting facts about mosquitoes

The deadliest animal on the planet

If you believed that the human being was the most dangerous and deadly species on the planet, then you should know that you are wrong. Contrary to what it seems, it's the mosquito; especially, the species that transmit diseases such as zika, malaria, dengue and chikungunya, it stands as the deadliest animal on the planet. It is estimated that around 700,000 people die each year from the bites of these insects.

The mosquito penetrates your skin with six "needles"

The proboscis, that is the body extension of mosquitoes which they use to penetrate and suck the blood of their victims, is not made up of a single needle, but there are six.

Mosquitoes use a pair of needles to penetrate the skin, another pair to maintain the skin opening, a needle to suck blood, and a last needle to introduce toxins into our body. It is these toxins that cause annoying itching and swelling after mosquito bites.