How Cold Kills Mosquitoes
WouterDespite the name, cold doesn’t necessarily kill mosquitoes. In fact, some species have evolved to survive in very cold climates. They are able to stay alive in the freezing temperatures thanks to a hormone called glycerol. This is an antifreeze substance that prevents mosquito cells from freezing.
Some female mosquitoes also hibernate when the weather is cold. They can go dormant for months at a time. They lay eggs in holes or in the ground and when the temperature rises they emerge.
When the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, mosquitoes stop moving. They become lethargic and cannot regulate their internal body temperature. They will eventually die if they don’t get a food source.
Adult females need to drink two and a half times their body weight in blood every day to survive. They feed on plant life and mammals. They leave behind a new generation of pests. When the season changes and warmer temperatures are predicted, mosquito activity increases.
Some species of mosquitoes have been around for hundreds of millions of years. Some have survived at least one ice age. They live in all types of habitats. They can lay in crevices, animal burrows, or hollow logs. They can even be found in Alaska.
There are several different strategies that mosquitoes have developed to deal with cold. These include diapause, which is a period of suspended development. The eggs of some mosquitoes can survive in cold temperatures for years without water.
