How Cold Can Mosquitoes Eggs Survive?
WouterDespite the cold, mosquitoes can still annoy humans and spread disease. Some species of mosquito have eggs that are capable of surviving temperatures down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Some female mosquitoes even hibernate in cold weather.
Adult female mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water and in holes in trees. These eggs are protected from the cold by leaf litter and snow. When the weather warms up, the eggs hatch. During colder weather, the eggs go into hibernation until warmer temperatures return.
These eggs are in a dormant state for several months. When warmer temperatures arrive, the female mosquitoes begin to emerge from hibernation. They lay up to 300 eggs at a time. The female mosquitoes fatten up before laying eggs. This fattening process allows them to produce 10 times the normal amount of fat.
The eggs of female mosquitoes are resilient and they survive freezing temperatures. The glycerol inside the mosquitoes’ body helps the cells keep from freezing over. This keeps them alive and allows them to survive for several years at a time.
Female mosquitoes lay eggs in water that freezes during the winter. They can also lay eggs in ice-covered hollow logs or animal burrows. If the water becomes warm enough, the larvae will hatch and continue their life cycle. The eggs can survive for years, waiting for the perfect conditions to hatch.
Some mosquitoes will hibernate for the winter, but the eggs can survive cold weather. The eggs of tropical mosquitoes can survive temperatures down to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
