How Many Babies Do Mosquitoes Make?
WouterDepending on the species, the mosquito life cycle can take anywhere from a few days to several months. There are four stages of development, each one of which is important to the species’ survival.
The first stage of development is the eggs. Female mosquitoes lay eggs on moist soil or water. The eggs hatch and become larvae. These larvae eat microscopic plants and animals. They then molt four times before entering the pupal stage. These pupae then grow into adult mosquitoes.
The mosquito life cycle can last up to a month. Female mosquitoes mate and produce eggs on a regular basis. The female can lay as many as 500 eggs during her lifetime. These eggs can be laid on moist soil, old tires, or water collected in tree holes.
The pupae, which is the immature stage between the larva and the adult, cannot survive without water. After a few days, the mosquito pupae changes into a fully developed adult mosquito. It then dries its wings and flies away to find an animal to feed on.
The mosquito pupae is also known as a tumbler. This stage is when the mosquito loses its ability to swim and moves around the surface of the water. It is also the time when the mosquito pupae changes from the semi-transparent exoskeleton into the body of an adult mosquito.
The adult mosquito then flies away to find a new blood meal. In addition to relying on an animal to feed on, female mosquitoes also spread pathogens from one blood meal victim to another. They do this by inserting a probe into the capillary, injecting an anticoagulant to keep blood flowing, and piercing the skin with a serrated proboscis.
