LIFE CYCLES

-MOSQUITO

INTRODUCTION
THE FEMALES OF MOST SPECIES HAVE PIERCING AND SUCKING MOUTH PARTS
THEY MUST FEED AT LEAST ONCE UPON MAMMALIAN BLOOD BEFORE THEIR EGGS CAN DEVELOP
PROPERLY.

THE MALES MAY HAVE BEAKS, OR PROBOSCIS, BUT CANNOT PIERCE, AND THEY FEED UPON
FRUIT AND PLANT JUICES.

SPECIES OF MOSQUITO
ANOPHELES: CAUSES MALARIA DISEASE MOSTLY
AEDES TRANSMIT THE VIRUSES RESPONSIBLE FOR YELLOW FEVER, AND DENGUE FEVER
CULEX THAT CAUSES FILARIASIS, THE INFECTION BY A FILARIAL WORM THAT CAUSES
ELEPHATITIS

ANOPHELES

AEDES

CULEX

DEFINITION
VECTOR:
AN ORGANISM THAT CARRIES AND TRANSMIT A PATHOGEN FROM ONE ORGANISM TO ANOTHER
E.G. MOSQUITO

PATHOGEN: A DISEASE CAUSING ORGANISM E.G. MALARIA

LIFE CYCLE

LIFE CYCLE-STAGES
EGGS MAY BE LAID INDIVIDUALLY OR CONNECTED TOGETHER TO FORM A RAFT TYPE OF
STRUCTURE.

LARVA
MOSQUITOES IN THE LARVAL STAGE ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS WIGGLERS, DUE TO THEIR
MOVEMENT IN THE WATER. MOST LARVAE OBTAIN OXYGEN THROUGH SMALL TUBES THAT
REACH THE WATERS SURFACE.

DURING THIS STAGE, THE LARVA GOES THROUGH 4 DIFFERENT MOLTS IN WHICH IT SHEDS ITS
EXTERIOR IN ORDER TO GROW BIGGER.

PUPAL STAGE
MOSQUITOES IN THIS TRANSITIONAL STAGE ARE REFERRED TO AS TUMBLERS, DESCRIBING
HOW THEY PROPEL THROUGH THE WATER.
THIS STAGE OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF MOSQUITOES ENDS WHEN THE PUPAS OUTER MEMBRANE
SPLITS OPEN AND THE ADULT MOSQUITO APPEARS, USUALLY WITHIN TWO DAYS OF
ENTERING THIS STAGE.

ADULT STAGE
THE FEMALE WILL GO IN SEARCH OF A BLOOD MEAL AND HUMANS OFTEN BECOME THE
TARGET. FOR ALL MOSQUITOES, IT IS ONLY THE ADULT FEMALE WHO BITES.
WHEN SHE BITES HER VICTIMS SKIN, THE MOSQUITO CAN TRANSMIT DISEASE TO HUMANS
THE LIFE CYCLE OF MOSQUITOES IS VERY SHORT: MALES USUALLY ONLY SURVIVE FOR ABOUT
TWO WEEKS, WHILE A FEMALE CAN SURVIVE UP TO A MONTH

CONTROLLING MOSQUITO
DESTROY OR DISPOSE OF TIN CANS, OLD TIRES, BUCKETS, OR OTHER CONTAINERS THAT
COLLECT AND HOLD WATER.
CLEAN DEBRIS FROM RAIN GUTTERS AND REMOVE ANY STANDING WATER UNDER
SLEEP USING BED NETTINGS OR USE MOSQUITO MESHES ON WINDOWS AND DOORS
FOGGING: THAT IS, SPRAY CHEMICALS IN THE SURROUNDING
USE OF MOSQUITO REPELLANT