How Long Does The Average Mosquito Live?

Since females are infinitely more useful than males, at least as far as mosquitoes go, a female mosquito lives considerably longer than the male does. That being said, a female mosquito only lives for six to seven weeks, shorter if they get swatted down first. The male, on the other hand, only lives for an average of 10 days. That means that a typical female lives four to five times longer than a male.

This is largely because the mosquito’s entire life is spent eating and reproducing. They don’t really do much else. Here, we’ll take a look at the life cycle of a mosquito.

The Life Cycle Of A Mosquito

There are four stages in the life cycle of a mosquito. The lowly mosquito begins as an egg. The egg hatches and the mosquito becomes a larva. The larvae progress into pupae, and the pupae progress into an adult. For a male mosquito, the entire process takes about 4 days to reach adulthood. The final six days of the male mosquito’s life is all about sowing his oats. 

While the males live on plant nectar, the females require a blood meal before they can mate. If you’ve ever been bitten by a mosquito, it’s a female that did the biting. The female finds a mate, sucks your blood, and then lays her eggs in still or standing water. Even a small disturbance in the water can completely destroy the eggs. So the next time you pass a puddle on the ground, be sure to step in it. You’ll be saving everyone around you a lot of aggravation.

Once a female mosquito takes a blood meal, it can lay up to 300 eggs at a time. Since many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, going through your home and making sure that you don’t have any leaky faucets or pipes is of paramount importance to preventing an infestation within your home. 

Are Mosquitoes Dangerous?

By themselves, mosquitoes are not dangerous. However, they can be carriers for certain virii. These are known as mosquito-borne illnesses. The CDC recognizes a number of mosquito-borne diseases and some of them can be very scary. These include virii such as dengue fever, West Nile virus, Zika virus, and Chikungunya virus. While these diseases sound scary, they seldom result in fatality and some don’t even require a trip to the hospital.

Nevertheless, OSHA recommends that workers who have exposure to areas in which mosquitoes breed use the proper repellant and keep their skin unexposed using lightweight heavy-duty fabric. Employers are also cautioned that areas around standing water are a breeding ground for mosquitoes and the illnesses they carry. 

Talk To Amco Ranger Today

If you’re having an issue with mosquitoes, bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, ants, or rodents in St. Charles or St. Louis, Amco Ranger provides a broad range of services that will target your individual pest control needs. Our professional technicians provide free inspections and quotes and will be happy to work around your pets and small children. Talk to us today!