How long do mosquitoes live?
Mosquitoes are relatively fragile insects with an adult life span that lasts about 2 weeks. The vast majority meet a violent end by serving as food for birds, dragonflies and spiders or are killed by the effects of wind, rain or drought. The mosquito species that only have a single generation each year are longer lived and may persist in small numbers for as long as 2-3 months if environmental conditions are favorable. Mosquitoes that hibernate in the adult stage live for 6-8 months but spend most of that time in a state of torpor. Some of the mosquito species found in arctic regions enter hibernation twice and take more than a year to complete their life cycle. Where do mosquitoes go in the winter? Mosquitoes, like most insects, are cold blooded creatures. As a result, they are incapable of regulating body heat and their temperature is essentially the same as their surroundings. Mosquitoes function best at 80o F, become lethargic at 60o F and cannot function below 50o F. In tropical a
Mosquitoes are relatively fragile insects with an adult life span that lasts about 2 weeks. The vast majority meets a violent end by serving as food for birds, dragonflies, and spiders or is killed by the effects of wind, rain, or drought. The mosquito species that only have a single generation each year are longer lived and may persist in small numbers for as long as 2-3 months if environmental conditions are favorable. Mosquitoes that hibernate in the adult stage live for 6-8 months but spend most of that time in an inactive state. Some of the mosquito species found in arctic regions enter hibernation twice and take more than a year to complete their life cycle. Where do mosquitoes go in the winter? Mosquitoes, like most insects, are cold blooded creatures. As a result, they are incapable of regulating body heat and their temperature is essentially the same as their surroundings. Mosquitoes function best at 80o F, become lethargic at 60o F and cannot function below 50o F.
Once an adult mosquito has emerged, and after a brief resting period, a food source is required. Only the female bites. Protein from the blood meal it takes will be used to produce eggs. Both females and males are nectar feeders, the latter exclusively. Nectar provides the energy necessary for activities such as flight. A female mosquito may live almost two weeks, and may take numerous blood meals during her lifetime. Several mosquito species are capable of surviving much longer. However, this is primarily limited to those that overwinter in the adult stage. Ths may be done in an animals burrow, a barn, or the crawl space of your house! Why control mosquitoes? Everyone is aware of the “nuisance factor” mosquitoes create. In addition, mosquitoes are capable of transmitting disease. The Cape May County Mosquito Commission is acutely aware of this potential.
