Mosquitoes belong to a variety of diptera insects known for their itchy bites. They are also transmitters of various diseases, the most serious of which are zika and malaria.
Every year, especially in third world countries, mosquitoes cause thousands of victims. The mode of reproduction of a mosquito is a complex cycle but that does not prevent them from reproducing by the millions each year.
There is a great diversity of mosquito species in the world. To be precise, there are more than 3500 different species in the world. Of these 3,500 species, only a limited number bite humans, the most frequent of which belong to the genera Aedes, Ochlerotatus and culex.
Only female mosquitoes that have just been fertilized bite. This is due to their need for blood. It is in the blood that females draw the essential proteins for their eggs in order to carry them to maturity. The male mosquitoes do not bite, they are satisfied with the nectars contained in the flowers.
It should be noted that some species of mosquitoes do not require blood for the maturation of their eggs. Others do not attack humans but have a preference for livestock, birds or reptiles. The presence of feathers on the antennae serves to distinguish a male mosquito from a female.
Even though mosquitoes have a similar life cycle, because of their different habitats they have different oviposition and hatching conditions. Reaching adulthood, the lifespan of a mosquito can reach several months.
Concerning their favorite place, mosquitoes appreciate aquatic environments:swamps, ditches, flood-prone wetlands, etc. Why ? Because they need a moist surface to lay eggs. To find a source of food to ensure that their eggs reach maturity, fertilized female mosquitoes are also located in urban areas.
The first phase of mosquito reproduction begins first with mating. Females only need to mate once for their eggs to be fertilized. Generally, mosquitoes mate in flight. To get rid of mosquitoes, contact a mosquito repellent company.
After fertilization, the females will find conditions where the temperature and humidity will be optimal for laying eggs. Female mosquitoes need to feed every 48 hours. A female mosquito, at each meal, can develop a clutch of 200 eggs. This is a colossal number, especially since if she manages to survive for a whole month and manages to feed herself every 48 hours, she will lay up to 3000 eggs. These eggs can remain viable for 5 to 10 years.
The second stage of reproduction is egg laying. Laying takes place on the surface of the water and the eggs laid are isolated in packs of 50 to 200. They will float while the embryo develops. The time an embryo spends in an egg is one week during summer and a whole month during winter. All mosquitoes are born in water.
The third phase is hatching. The embryos will come out of their shell to become larvae. The larvae will mutate four times before becoming a pupa. It should be noted that even if the larvae are on the surface of the water, they breathe air and feed on organic material that they filter.
After mutating four times, the larva will become a pupa. This is the last phase of reproduction. A nymph will spend another two weeks in water before becoming an adult mosquito. At this stage, the nymph no longer feeds until the adult mosquito emerges. However, when hatching conditions are less favorable during winter, for example, it may remain in the larval state until the next season. The larva will not undergo any transformation for a long time. During the first days of their existence, male and female adult mosquitoes feed on nectar.
Mosquitoes carry serious diseases which, if left untreated, can cause death. The most serious are malaria, zika and chikungunya. The tiger mosquito is found in some municipalities in Savoie.
Malaria is transmitted by the bite of one species in particular:Anopheles mosquito. Zika is transmitted by the bite of the “tiger” mosquito. Regarding chikungunya, it is the bites of Aedes type mosquitoes that transmit it.
However, mosquitoes are not vectors of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. Although they have bitten a person with the AIDS virus or an STD, for reasons that cannot be clearly explained, they will not infect other people.
Only female mosquitoes are annoying. The males have an important role in the ecosystem. Indeed, as they feed on nectar, they are plant pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Read our article on getting rid of insects in your garden.
Also, mosquito larvae are a food source for fish. As they are on a surface of water, they are easy prey, if we can say so, for fish. Once adult, they are also the target of insectivores such as birds, bacteria, bats etc.
In short, the reproductive cycle of a mosquito is a fairly fast process since it will go from the larva state to the adult state in less than 15 days. Except of course during the winter, the cycle will become longer. All in all, it is really important to take measures to eradicate them in order to prevent their spread.
There are several methods to get rid of mosquitoes whether chemical or natural methods. The most important point is that you should never be indifferent to the appearance of the first symptoms of a disease caused by the bite of a mosquito.
