The various species that make up the animal world have developed their own reproductive strategies, adapted to guarantee their perpetuity. These forms of reproduction are closely related to various aspects, such as the anatomical and physiological characteristics of each group, as well as the conditions of the habitat, which undoubtedly have an impact on the reproductive process.
A group of animals that has reproductive strategies ensuring the viability of a large number of individuals in each reproductive cycle is that of insects, and in this article on our site we want to talk specifically abouthow mosquitoes reproduce and are born , as well as explain how long mosquitoes live after reviewing their entire life cycle.
Type of mosquito reproduction
Mosquitoes, also known as mosquitoes, have internal sexual reproduction, so that the male deposits sperm directly into the female, who will accumulate it in the spermatheca and will use it for continuous fertilization of the ovules. Something curious during the reproduction of mosquitoes is that a courtship occurs in these insects, which we will see in detail in the next section.
How do mosquitoes reproduce?
For the courtship that will lead to reproduction, some species of males create swarms in which they fly in all directions to attract the females, on the other hand, other species do not form these groups, but the contact occurs directly between the two individuals. When the swarms occur, the females approach and choose the male for copulation, which will generally take place away from the group and will last less than a minute. Learn about all the types of mosquitoes in this other article.
Males can inseminate several females, while they are monogamous, that is, they will only be with a single male. This happens because after inseminating her, the male secretes a substance that sexually inactivates the female for the rest of her life, for which she will no longer be receptive. After fertilization, the males die within a few days, however, the females must feed to obtain nutrients and continue with the development of the eggs; in the case of hematophagous, they will directly look for a person or animal to extract the necessary blood and oogenesis can take place.
How are mosquitoes born?
Mosquitoes lay eggs, which have been previously fertilized by the male inside the female. After feeding properly, the female begins the process of oogenesis or development of the eggs and laying will occur between two and four days after the blood meal, in the case of hematophagous species.
Later, the embryonic development that occurs inside the egg, under optimal environmental conditions, will generate the larvae two to four days after ovipositionSubsequently, the pupal stage will occur, where the metamorphosis will take place so that the adult finally emerges.
Thus, mosquitoes belong to the holometabolous group, that is, they have a reproductive cycle of four phases: egg, larva, pupa and adult, through which they develop metamorphosis. Let's learn more about each of these phases to better understand how mosquitoes are born:
Phase 1: egg
A female can lay between 50 and 200 approximately, so here we can see an excellent strategy in terms of the number of ovipositions, which undoubtedly seeks to generate as many individuals as possible. In fact, this is a peculiar characteristic of insects in terms of their reproduction.
Mosquitoes can lay eggs in various ways, however, this process can be grouped into three general ways:
- Individual in the water.
- In floating groups on water.
- On surfaces that are periodically flooded. This last case corresponds to species that produce eggs that can resist the absence of water to a certain extent, but ultimately require it, because all the larvae are of the aquatic type.
Where do mosquitoes lay their eggs? Mosquitoes tend to lay their eggs in calm bodies of water, without major currents, or on a substrate such as soil or plants, which better guarantees the development of them. However, when they do so in this last option, these spaces must be subject to immersion, since, in a compulsory way, the larvae require the aquatic environment for their development and passage to the pupal stage, after which the adult emerges. which will have aerial habits. On the other hand, some species put them in water with certain currents, but they do so on the banks or where the vegetation provides protection.
Phase 2: larva
Mosquito larvae are characterized by being vermiform, that is, they have the appearance of a worm. As we mentioned they are aquatic in habit and breathe directly from the air. In this phase they are active in terms of feeding, which they can do thanks to their jaws, for which they scrape surfaces, filter water or even prey on larvae of other species, consuming detritus, microorganisms and even small invertebrates.
In this phase, temperature plays a determining role in the development of the larva, each species has an optimal range below which the individual can die or go into hibernation: above they always end up to perish.
Phase 3: pupa
Corresponds to the last aquatic phase of mosquitoes and is characterized by a stage of almost total immobility (unless disturbed), where the individual does not feed, but all energy consumption is destined to the occurrence of anatomical and physiological changes, which generate an adult totally different from the larva. In this phase, they develop a greater tolerance to desiccation and even to certain chemical substances.
Being in optimal temperatures, the development of the pupa can last between two and five days. When the process is about to end, the pupa generally moves at night to places that are as calm and protected as possible in the water, it begins to absorb more air so that the pressure that accumulates breaks the cuticle that covers it. and the adult can finally emerge.
Phase 4: Adult
When it emerges, the adult requires some time to dry completely, especially the wings, which it does on the surface of the water, where it also finishes hardening. After between one and two days, the adults are sexually mature, although in females the process occurs earlier than in males.
Do you want to know what mosquitoes eat? Find out in this other article!
Mosquito Breeding Season
Environmental conditions are decisive for the reproduction of mosquitoes, so the presence of water and temperatures with a tendency to warmth, are two important aspects for these insects to reproduce. In this sense, for example, in countries where temperatures are very low and even reach 0 oC, and the rains are subject to seasonality, the mosquito species that inhabit these regions usually go through a phase known as dipauseThis is a physiological state of inactivity that eggs and larvae go through, which they pass when unfavorable conditions end.
On the other hand, in those countries where temperatures are warm almost all year round and the presence of water is not so limited, as is the case in tropical regions, then mosquitoes can reproduce more constant, since the environmental conditions are favorable for this process. Thus, in tropical areas, species with numerous generations in the same year are usually found.
How long do mosquitoes live?
Mosquitoes, as we have seen, go through different phases, from the egg to when they become adults, but how long do mosquitoes live in total? Let's know how long each phase lasts:
- Egg: between 2 and 4 days after laying.
- Larva: approximately 5 days.
- Pupa: between 2 and 5 days.
- Adult: males die a few days after reproduction (approximately 3 to 5), while females live longer, as they must feed adequately for the development of eggs and lay them, so that they can live up to two weeks.
The life of mosquitoes depends on many environmental factors, which are essential for them. In this sense, the temperature, humidity, food and both the availability and conditions of the environment to lay eggs, determine the life and development of mosquitoes.
In general, male mosquitoes live between 10 and 15 days, while females they can live up to 24 days It is important to keep in mind that these ranges are approximate and general, since there are variations between some species.
