table of contents
- Lifespan of adult mosquitoes
- Eggs and larvae
- frequently asked Questions
Sitting on the terrace on a mild summer evening and listening to the chirping of the crickets could be so nice - if it weren't for the common mosquito (Culex pipiens). Fortunately, the pesky mosquitoes don't get very old.
In a nutshell
- Lifespan of female mosquitoes: approx. six weeks
- Males only up to ten days
- Duration of development from egg to hatchable pupa: approx. 20 days
- Eggs and larvae survive times with unfavorable conditions
- Overwintering as an egg
Lifespan of adult mosquitoes
Many people believe that mosquitoes buzz around all summer and plague us humans. In fact, the insects have a very short lifespan, which is not measured in months, but in days and weeks. Adults, d. H. adult females can live up to six weeks, depending on the weather and living conditions, while the male mosquitoes don't even live ten days. Incidentally, the availability of food has no influence on the lifespan of the Stinging insects
, because these feed primarily on tree sap. Only the females suck blood because they need the proteins it contains for the production of their eggs.Note: Did you know that mosquitoes already existed in the times of the dinosaurs? The biting insects are evolutionarily very successful, as there are around 3000 different species worldwide to date.
Eggs and larvae
However, the lifespan of a mosquito is not limited to its existence as an adult insect. Strictly speaking, you also have to add the sections that it spends as an egg and larva:
- Hatch of larva approx. two weeks after oviposition
- The eggs survive for long periods of time when living conditions are unfavorable
- for example in dry conditions
- often overwintered as an egg
- then hatch in the spring
- Development from larva to hatching of the pupa: approx. 20 days
- Period, however, depends on temperature and weather
- longer stay in the larval stage if conditions are unfavorable
All in all, a mosquito develops within approx. five to six weeks from egg to imago, as the adult animals are also called. However, if it is too dry or too cool, mosquito eggs and larvae simply remain in their respective stages of development and wait until the conditions for their development have improved.
frequently asked Questions
As a rule, the insects only hibernate as an egg and then quickly develop into a finished mosquito in the spring. Sometimes, however, even young female mosquitoes fall into winter rigor when the temperatures get colder. B. in apartments, garages, sheds etc. withdraw. They wake up in mild temperatures and then go in search of food. The males, on the other hand, die in the first frost.
Since it has been proven that mosquitoes already existed in the Triassic - around 250 to 200 million years ago - there was no specialization in a particular host. Therefore, the insects suck blood not only in humans but also in various vertebrates. In addition to mammals, these can also be birds, frogs and toads, reptiles and other animals.
Female mosquitoes lay between 300 and 400 eggs, preferably on floating leaves, aquatic plants and the like. ä. in stagnant waters. In addition to the (garden) pond or pond, this can also be a puddle or the rain barrel. The larvae also develop in the water and pupate there. In case of danger they simply go into hiding, after all they are the favorite food of many other animals such as B. Fish or frogs.