Mosquito Life Cycle
Courtesy of University of Rhode Island
The mosquito life cycle consists of four stages:
Eggs: Some mosquito species lay egg rafts that float on the water. Each raft contains from 100 to 400 eggs. Other mosquito species lay single eggs on the water surface, and some lay their eggs on vegetation waiting to be submerged by melting snow or strong rain. The eggs hatch into larvae.
Larva: The larva or "wiggler" comes to the surface to breathe through a tube called a siphon. The larvae feed on micro-organisms and organic matter in the water. The larva molts (sheds its skin) four times as it matures. These molts are called instars. The larva grows rapidly between each molt. After the fourth instar it changes into a pupa.
Pupa: The pupal or “tumbler” stage is a resting, non-feeding stage. It breathes through two tubes on its back called a siphon. The adult mosquito develops inside the pupa and in approximately two days, when it is fully developed, it splits the pupal skin and emerges as an adult mosquito.
Adult: The newly emerged adult will rest on the surface of the water for a short time to allow itself to dry and all its body parts to harden. Once the drying process is complete, the mosquito can fly away and live on land.
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