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Sitting on the terrace on a warm summer evening and listening to the crickets chirp could be so nice - if it weren't for the common mosquito (Culex pipiens). Luckily, 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
- Hibernation as an egg
Lifespan of adult mosquitoes
Many people believe that mosquitoes swarm around and plague us humans all summer long. In fact, however, the insects have a very short lifespan, which is not measured in months but in days and weeks. adults, i.e. H. Adults, females can live up to six weeks depending on the weather and living conditions, while the male mosquitoes live less than ten days. Incidentally, the availability of food has no influence on the lifespan of the stinging insects, because they feed primarily on tree sap. Only the female animals suck blood because they need the proteins it contains to produce their eggs.
Notice: Did you know that mosquitoes existed since the time of the dinosaurs? The stinging insects are very successful in evolutionary terms, as there are currently around 3000 different species worldwide.
domestic mosquitoes cause severe itching
eggs and larvae
However, the lifetime 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:
- The larva hatches about two weeks after the eggs are laid
- Egg persistence over long periods of time when living conditions are unfavorable
- e.g. in case of drought
- often overwinters as an egg
- then hatch in spring
- Development from larva to pupa hatching: approx. 20 days
- However, the period depends on the temperature and weather
- longer stay in the larval stage when conditions are unfavorable
All in all, a mosquito develops within about five to six weeks from the egg to the imago, as the adult animals are also called. However, if it is too dry or too cool, mosquito eggs and larvae will simply remain in their respective developmental stages and wait until the conditions for their development have improved.
frequently asked Questions
Can mosquitoes hibernate?As a rule, the insects only hibernate as eggs, only to quickly develop into the finished mosquito in the spring. Sometimes, however, even young female mosquitoes hibernate when the temperatures are getting cooler, preferring to stay in sheltered places such as e.g. 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 with the first frost.
Do the stinging insects only bite humans?Since it has been proven that mosquitoes existed as early as the Triassic - i.e. around 250 to 200 million years ago - there was no specialization on a specific host. That is why insects suck blood not only from humans, but also from various vertebrates. In addition to mammals, these can also be birds, frogs and toads, reptiles and other animals.
Where do mosquitoes lay their eggs?Female mosquitoes lay between 300 and 400 eggs, preferably on floating leaves, aquatic plants, etc. in standing water. 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 dive under, after all they are the favorite food of many other animals such as e.g. B. fish or frogs.