Why Do Mosquitoes Come Out in the Winter?
WouterSeveral mosquito species lay eggs during the fall and winter months. Some of these eggs survive the cold and can hatch into adults in warmer weather. Others are killed by cold weather.
Cold temperatures cause many mosquitoes to go into a dormant stage called diapause. In diapause, mosquitoes slow their metabolisms and store nutrients. They also dehydrate to avoid freezing. In warmer weather, their metabolisms resume.
The cold weather also affects the life cycle of many adult mosquito species. Some of these adult mosquitoes will die off after mating in the fall. Others will come out of hibernation in the winter. Some of them will be active all year round in mild winters. Other mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti, can breed indoors.
Some female mosquitoes enter a dormant state during the winter. They lay their eggs in damp soil, icy waters, or hollow logs. The eggs will survive for several months, depending on the species.
When the weather warms up in the spring, the eggs will hatch. The larvae then stay in the water for a few months, and then resume their life cycle when weather becomes more hospitable.
Adult female mosquitoes also hibernate during the winter. They hide in animal burrows, rotten logs, or underground, and wait for warmer weather to return. Some females will enter your home for shelter. Some females have the ability to hibernate in the house for months.
The mosquito season normally starts in the spring. It ends in Louisiana and Louisiana’s northern neighbor, Louisiana.
