Life Cycle

There are approximately 2,700 species of mosquitoes world wide. Fortunately, only 52 species are found in Massachusetts.  Mosquitoes have the following life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

Adults:

• Most female mosquitoes need the nutrition from blood to develop their eggs.

• Not all mosquito species bite humans and other mammals.  Some mosquitoes prefer to blood feed on birds, reptiles and amphibians and others do not blood feed.

• Males feed only on nectar.

Eggs

• After a blood meal it takes several days for the female to develop her eggs.

• Eggs can be deposited either on the surface of the water or on the edge of the water.
• Eggs are deposited in stagnant water such as in containers, wetlands or flood plains.
• Hatching may occur after a few days.  It may also be triggered by environmental factors such as day length or flooding.
  
• Most mosquito species overwinter in the egg stage.
  

Larva

• All larvae live in stagnant water.
  
• Larvae filter feed on organic material in the water.
• Obtain oxygen from the air using their siphon. The siphon is located at the tail end of the larva.
  
• All mosquito larva go through 4 distinct growth stages called instars. Each instar is bigger than the previous instar.
• Depending on the species the larval stage can last 1-2 weeks or most of a year.