The four wonderfully weird (and gross) stages of the mosquito life cycle

Mosquitos! They can be little pests, but they’ve caused lots of scientific breakthroughs! But how do mosquitoes come to be? Let’s find out!

All mosquitoes have four basic cycles- egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The life cycle typically takes up to two weeks, but depending on different conditions, can range from four days up to a month. Imagine growing up that quickly! The first three cycles are spent in the water, while the adults actively fly. 

Only the females bite and suck blood from people. Rude! But why do they do that?

It’s so she can get protein and develop her eggs! After obtaining blood, the mosquito rests to digest it. When she’s ready to lay her eggs, she finds stagnant water and lays them.

The hatching time can vary from one mosquito species to another, but once hatched, larva emerges, also called a “wiggler.”

The larva lives in the water. Not like a fish, though! It feeds and develops into a pupa, or “tumbler.” Once in this stage, the pupa still remains in water but doesn’t feed.

Over the course of two days to a week, a mosquito emerges from the pupal stage. It flies away, ready to start the cycle again! Good luck little Mosquito!

Learn more about Mosquitoes and how they contributed to finding a cure to Malaria in Darcy Pattison’s upcoming book: Fever!

COMING ON MARCH 8!