Mosquitoes are among the most annoying insects you are likely to encounter outdoors and sometimes indoors, especially when the weather is warm. How long do mosquitoes live? For you to ask this question, you must be tempted to leave the few mosquitoes you have heard humming in your house to die on their own. Mosquitoes’ lifespans can range from weeks to months depending on the species, season, and environmental conditions.
The average lifespan of a male mosquito is a week. Female mosquitoes outlive their male counterparts and can live for a full month. The common house mosquito lives for about 10 to 60 days. This article has all the information about mosquitoes’ lifespans, including how long they live after biting you and how long they can go without food.
You may hate mosquitoes for their itchy bites, but the insects benefit the ecosystem. Here is what happens in every stage of a mosquito’s life cycle;
Mosquitoes only lay eggs near or in water because the eggs can only hatch when exposed to water. Different species have different aqueous habitat preferences for laying their eggs. Some like to lay their eggs in flood plains, while others are okay with a small amount of water collected on a flower pot. This is why removing sources of stagnant water in the home remains one of the most effective ways of controlling mosquitoes. According to an article by Raid Trusted Source Mosquito Life Span & Life Cycle – Benefits of Mosquitoes - Raid® Find out how long mosquitoes live and discover the benefits of mosquitoes on multiple ecosystems throughout each stage of their life cycle. www.raid.com , female mosquitoes can lay hundreds of eggs at once.
Mosquito eggs hatch, and the larvae emerge. Also known as wigglers, the larvae hang upside down on the water’s surface and breathe through a siphon tube. At the larval stage, mosquitoes are a good meal for salamanders, frogs, and fish. What’s more, they digest decaying leaves and micro-organisms and excrete nitrogen and other nutrients that benefit plants’ growth.
Mosquito larvae grow into pupae. They molt four times before changing into pupae with tails that can propel them through water. Mosquito pupae take a rest and stop feeding while morphing into adults. After two days, they emerge from the water as adults.
Adult mosquitoes wait to dry off before flying away after emerging from the water’s surface. They feed on nectar from flowers, fruits, and other plants. Only female mosquitoes bite to get enough proteins for their eggs to develop. According to the Environmental Protection Agency Trusted Source Mosquito Life Cycle | US EPA Knowing the stages of the mosquito's life will help you prevent mosquitoes around your home and help you choose the right pesticides for your needs, if you decide to use them. All mosquito species go through four distinct stages during their live cycle. www.epa.gov (EPA), the entire life cycle of a mosquito should take about two weeks. Still, depending on the environmental conditions, it can range from four days to a whole month.
The life cycle of mosquitoes is shown in the video below.
If you have seen a mosquito or two inside your house, you may be wondering how long it will take for it to die on its own. The average mosquito can live a whole month indoors. The indoor environment is ideal for mosquitoes’ survival because they would be away from natural predators. A mosquito that reaches adulthood in the outdoors has an average lifespan of about two to three weeks. According to an article by the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project Trusted Source How long do mosquitoes live? | Central Mass Mosquito Control Project Mosquitoes are relatively fragile insects with an adult life span that lasts about 2 weeks on average, depending on species. The vast majority meets a violent end by serving as food for predators, or are killed by the effects of wind, rain or drought. www.cmmcp.org , very few mosquitoes live a complete life as most meet a violent end when eaten by predators or killed by winds, rain or drought.
Your house plenty of dark and humid places that can be ideal hiding spots for mosquitoes. There is also plenty of food (yourself included) and sources of water for laying eggs, like the bathroom, kitchen, houseplants, and the garage.
A female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs in one go after drinking blood.
Mosquitoes’ lifespans vary according to species, the environment, and the season. The common house mosquito has an average lifespan of 10 to 60 days, while other species like the Asian Tiger mosquito can live up to 40 days.
The environment affects how long a mosquito lives significantly. Predators, temperature, humidity, and food availability all affect a mosquito’s lifespan. In extremely cold temperatures, mosquitoes hibernate and can live up to eight months. The mosquitoes that are bugging you now could be the same ones you wished away in fall.
According to an article by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Trusted Source What is a Mosquito? | Mosquitoes | CDC About different types of mosquitoes, facts about mosquitoes, and parts of adult mosquitoes. www.cdc.gov (CDC), female mosquitoes live longer than male mosquitoes.
Depending on the species, the average lifespan of a female mosquito is anywhere between 2 and 4 weeks, while that of a male mosquito is between one and two weeks.
The worst that could happen to a mosquito after biting you is you squishing them to death. Otherwise, there is no anatomical or biological reason why a mosquito would die after biting you. They can bite severally the entire until they are full.
Mosquitoes need food to grow a reproduce. Mosquito larvae eat algae, organic matter, and bacteria in water for everyday nourishment. Ault mosquitoes need sugar for energy, which they get from flower nectar, plant sap, and fruit juice.
Mosquitoes hibernate when the weather is too cold, and they can go up to six months without eating or drinking. When active, mosquitoes cannot live more than four days without food.
Many people think mosquitoes only feed on blood. Have you tried starving mosquitoes in your house by going on a two-week vacation? Did it work? Only the female mosquito feeds on blood because it needs extra proteins for its eggs to grow. Your 2-week vacation only slowed down the mosquitoes’ reproductive cycle. Also, if human blood is not available, the female mosquito can bite other vertebrates like cats and dogs.
Instead of suffering mosquito bites and waiting for them to die, invest in a good mosquito killer. Read our article on the best mosquito killers for the most effective and affordable options.
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Mosquitoes probably rank top as the most annoying insects because of their itchy bites and the noise they make. How long do mosquitoes live? The male mosquito lives for 6 to 9 days, depending on the species. The male mosquitoes are harmless as they don’t bite nor make an annoying noise. The female mosquito outlives the male. It can live for two to four weeks, depending on the species.
Waiting for mosquitoes to die on their own is not the way of handling an infestation. You should invest in the best mosquito killers then employ preventive measures to make your home less ideal for another infestation. You can use mosquito dunks and larvicides to control the mosquitoes outside your home. If you don’t think you can handle an infestation on your own, call mosquito control services which will exterminate the infestation professionally and install special eco-friendly traps that prevent mosquitoes from repopulating your home.
