The process of procreation is an important part of the life of any living creature, and insects are no exception. How do mosquitoes reproduce? Probably, few people have thought about this issue, and its subtleties are known only to biology buffs. Although this is quite an interesting process from the point of view of knowledge about the living world, which has its own characteristics and interesting facts.
Why do they bite us and how does this affect mosquito reproduction?
The fact is that human sweat contains lactic acid; bloodsuckers sense it at a great distance. For this reason, mosquitoes torment people most severely during the hot season. Being bitten, people, without knowing it, encourage the reproduction of mosquitoes and create very comfortable conditions for them. Thanks to the saturation of mosquito females with blood, a new population of viable and strong individuals appears.
Not everyone knows, but mosquitoes reproduce even if they do not bite people or animals. In this case, they have to expend the resources of their own body to form eggs. As a result, the offspring of mosquitoes are born weak, and after laying the insect itself dies. Until the time of laying comes, the female constantly returns to the victim and bites her, after each digestion of blood.
In order to get rid of mosquitoes, you need to start with the original cause of the nuisance: reproduction. Understanding how mating occurs and what individuals eat will help you choose the right place to travel. And avoid many problems. Mosquitoes are harmful to humans, and to effectively combat them, it is helpful to first learn how mosquitoes reproduce.
Hibernation
Mosquitoes die at temperatures below zero degrees. Those individuals that were able to survive until the onset of cold weather begin to look for shelter for hibernation. In nature, such a place is fallen leaves, cracks in tree hollows. But mosquitoes often choose vegetable stores, outbuildings, and even human homes in order to survive the winter.
Interesting!
In an apartment, they can hide between window frames, on a glassed-in balcony or loggia, in a vestibule in front of the front door, or in a bathroom. Disputes are ongoing. With the onset of warm weather, the female and larvae, which have spent the winter in the water, warm up and can continue to exist again.
Mosquito mating process
- The ideal place for mating is a stagnant body of water; the males accumulate near them and wait for the female.
- Females emit a thin squeak, thereby attracting males, who feel it with the help of their antennae; they make this characteristic sound with their wings.
- Individuals gather in a swarm in which only male mosquitoes move, they drag the female into it and mating occurs.
- The female who finds herself inside the swarm is fertilized by the male mosquito who first grabbed her.
The process lasts a very short time, at the end the mosquito returns to the other males. The internal genital organs are hidden in the body of the mosquito; in females these are the ovaries and ovipositor, in the form of a short tube, and in males these are the testes. Fertilization also occurs internally; during sexual intercourse, mosquito sperm enters the female, into her reproductive tract.
Danger
Where do mosquitoes come from? They enter a house or apartment through open doors, windows, cracks and cracks. If a female mosquito laid larvae in the warm season, this question disappears by itself. Mosquitoes are not at all harmless insects. In addition to the fact that they make unpleasant annoying sounds, bite and prevent you from falling asleep at night, mosquitoes often become carriers of dangerous diseases, infections and allergic reactions.
These insects attack several people at once. Therefore, they can easily transfer an infection from an infected person to a healthy person. They are the cause of malaria, tularemia, yellow fever, and lymphatic filariasis. In addition, a mosquito bite itches. Sometimes such trauma to the skin leads to the appearance of scars.
What happens after the female is fertilized?
The female mosquito feeds on the blood of mammals very actively, as this is required by the process of development and formation of eggs. The male does not have special piercing bristles inside his proboscis, so he remains a vegetarian. With the oral apparatus of a male individual it is simply impossible to bite. In females, the oral apparatus is fully formed, they penetrate the skin and inject into it a special secretion that prevents blood clotting. After mating, females lay eggs on the surface of the water.
There are two ways in which females lay eggs:
- Separately, one egg at a time
- “Packs” of eggs glued together.
Their number is usually from 150 to 400. Female mosquitoes can lay about 1200 eggs during their entire life span. After the breeding process, the male mosquito dies. Females lay eggs every 2-3 days during the active period.
Description of the insect
Mosquitoes belong to the category of midges. The length of the blood-sucking insect reaches 4-15.5 mm, depending on the species. But in tropical countries you can find mosquitoes whose bodies can reach 10-12 cm.
Distinctive features:
- elongated, narrow body;
- thin and long legs;
- wide chest;
- elongated abdomen consisting of segments;
- narrow, transparent and long wings with scales.
The main feature of mosquitoes is the presence of a piercing-sucking mouthpart, which has significant differences between insects of different sexes. Females have a long proboscis with small and sharp bristles, while males have lush mustaches.
Stages of mosquito development
Egg
Mosquitoes prefer places with a lot of plant debris, such as muddy banks. For unhindered reproduction, it is important that there are no waves, otherwise the eggs will not hatch. A menacing number of mosquitoes appears at the beginning of summer, when high temperatures set in. After winter, the pupae, which have turned into mosquitoes, quickly begin the mating process. Massive laying of eggs occurs, 20-30 eggs at a time. The warmer the water, the faster the incubation period occurs. It takes at least 40 hours for the eggs to hatch.
Larva
After the eggs hatch, the busy part of the mosquito's life cycle begins. The mosquito larva develops sequentially, in a number of molts. The mosquito larva sheds its outer shell three times during development. Metamorphosis during mosquito development includes four stages. The larvae swim alone in the water and feed on energy very intensely. They have a mouthparts and active brushes inside them. If it is warm around and there are no fry that feed on the larvae, then future mosquitoes grow quickly. This is the most important stage in development. The larvae hang at the very surface of the water in a calm state. Their diet includes a variety of microscopic organisms, unicellular algae, and parts of rotting plants.
Doll
After the larvae reach their maximum size, pupation occurs inside the shell. During this stage of development, mosquitoes do not feed, they develop thanks to the energy reserve that they gained while still being a larva, and the pupae breathe thanks to the tubes that come out. A movable abdomen with a tail extending from the cephalothorax allows it to swim away from danger. The pupa is similar in appearance to a small tadpole; only the abdomen remains free from the shell; the front part of the body is covered with a common shell. The curve of the body is shaped like a comma. The pupa in the water exposes the front end of its body, and not the rear, unlike the larva, and is suspended on the surface. The color of a newborn mosquito is almost black. Pupae that have already matured burst above the water, and adult individuals are born from them. Until the wings dry out and straighten out, the mosquito does not fly into the air, but clings to the pupal shell it has abandoned.
Adult
The last stage in the mosquito's life cycle is the transformation from pupa to adult. They are called imago. The only goal of a sexually mature and fully formed individual is the reproduction of offspring. It is impossible to say exactly how long the life cycle of a mosquito lasts, since this is influenced by the diversity of species, different conditions in which individuals live, it is important how filled the environment is with food for the larvae, the speed of transformation into a pupa depends on this.
Cycle of life
The lifespan of a mosquito directly depends on the habitat into which it finds itself after birth. Temperature plays the main role. At +25°C, insects live for about 45 days; at +20°C, the lifespan of a mosquito increases to 60 days. A decrease in temperature below +15°C slows down metabolic processes in the body of adults and larvae, prolonging their existence to 119 days.
On a note!
How long a common mosquito lives depends on its gender. The average life expectancy of a male is 14 days. Genetic ability – 20 days. When talking about timing, they most often mean how long the female lives.
Mosquito reproduction
In the wild, mosquitoes drink the blood of animals and reproduce healthy offspring in large quantities. In a humid, moderately warm environment, the mosquito can live for almost 2 months. An increase in indicators from +25 degrees Celsius does not allow insects to rise into the air, as they instantly lose moisture. Whereas, under favorable conditions, mosquitoes reach the 9th floor. A decrease from +10 degrees Celsius helps to slow down metabolic processes, the insect falls into suspended animation, but continues to live.
Interesting facts about mosquitoes
When a female chooses a victim, she focuses not only on the smell of lactic acid, but also on carbon dioxide exhaled by a person or any other mammal. Also, the female mosquito reacts to light, preferring dark rooms, which is why they are mainly nocturnal. Males live less time than females, on average 19 days.
Knowing the peculiarities of development and how mosquitoes reproduce, you can begin to take measures to destroy them. The total destruction of mosquitoes is called disinfestation. You can fight insects in both closed and open spaces. It is necessary to cut off oxygen to the larvae. An effective eradication process will include eliminating mosquito populations both outdoors and indoors. It is necessary to eliminate dampness in the premises. Most often, juveniles develop in basements.
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How to get rid of it?
Where do big mosquitoes come from? Despite their terrifying appearance, they are absolutely harmless to humans. These mosquitoes do not attack and live in forested areas and wetlands. If they fly into a living space, it is by accident. They are usually attracted to warmth and bright light. There are many ways to get rid of insects: chemicals, traditional methods, or calling specialists to your home. Natural remedies are considered one of the safest and most effective. For example, a sprig of elderberry and the smell of walnuts and pine nuts can drive mosquitoes out of your apartment forever.
With the arrival of warm days, we feel not only the joy of spending time in nature. The summer season brings many inconveniences and minor troubles in the form of various insects, and especially mosquitoes. But the most unpleasant thing is when bloodsuckers take up residence in our home.
Life activity in early spring
Once at the bottom of the reservoir, the eggs begin to develop. The young individual grows in 21 days and is able to survive the winter if the temperature does not drop below 12 degrees, but before that it needs to develop. In total, the life cycle of adults takes about 56 days. In addition, already inside the female, the larvae develop within 3 days.
From a larva, a mosquito turns into a pupa, more reminiscent of a comma with eyes than an insect. After remaining in this state for 3 to 5 days, the pupa is torn apart by an adult mosquito. The size of the baby does not exceed 4 mm, but it is already capable of fertilizing. Therefore, he does not fly to eat, but immediately begins to call females with a squeak in order to continue the race.
Where mosquitoes come from immediately after winter with severe frosts is a mystery to some people. There is nothing special about this for specialists. With the onset of cold weather, fertilized females look for a secluded place for wintering. They climb into the cracks of outbuildings, houses, forest litter, and tree bark.
Mosquitoes overwinter in a state of suspended animation, but do not fall into deep hibernation. As soon as you bring the insect into a warm room, it immediately comes to life. In winter, insects live in damp basements, where the temperature does not drop below 12 degrees Celsius. However, reproduction activity is not so high. Only females can overwinter.
Life activity of a mosquito
The main task of males is to enable females to lay eggs. They live a short life - 10 days, feed on plant nectar, and spend most of their time in the meadow and forest. The main parasite is the female.
Virgin individuals also feed on nectar, but immediately after fertilization there is a need for blood. A mosquito can fly up to 300 km in search of a victim. Develops a speed of 3 km per hour. The insect will determine the location of the victim 30 m away.
Mosquitoes are attracted by the natural smell - carbon dioxide when exhaling, sweat, microorganisms on the skin. The heat emanating from the body also gives away the victim, since the mosquito has infrared vision. A female can bite up to 15 times in one night.
The average lifespan of a female is 3 weeks; theoretically, she can live about 119 days. There are many enemies in nature - dragonflies, frogs, newts, lizards, chameleons, beetles. And also a person with chemical weapons, various means to combat mosquitoes.
Classification
Within the family there are three subfamilies:
- Subfamily Malaria mosquitoes ( Anophelinae
) Genus Malaria mosquitoes (
Anopheles
) - Genus Bironella
- Genus Chagasia
)
- Tribe Culicini
Genus Biters (
Aedes
)
)
, formerly
Theobaldia
)
- Genus Johnbelkinia
[
not in source
]
Genus Toxorhynchites
Preventive measures
The main ways to repel mosquitoes:
- Plants (geranium, tomato, citrus);
- Essential oils (cedar, eucalyptus, clove);
- Basement disinfection;
- Ventilation, regular cleaning.
First of all, pay attention to all possible loopholes for parasites in your windows and on the balcony. A durable mosquito net will solve this problem. Since this is not the only way pests can enter your home, it is recommended to purchase some types of flowers that can repel mosquitoes. Geranium and regular tomato will be an effective repellent for insects that do not tolerate their pungent odor.
Citrus fruits also have an unpleasant odor for bloodsuckers. The effect of lemon can be complemented with cloves. You can also use eucalyptus or clove essential oil. When aromatherapy, you should keep in mind that the aroma used should not cause you any unpleasant sensations. General cleaning in the house, in the basement, in the attic, in the barn, using special disinfectants will provide you with a quiet life without annoying insects. With the correct implementation of preventive measures, you can forget about domestic bloodsuckers, and not rack your brains over where mosquitoes come from in the apartment in the fall, or even in winter.
Area
Additional information: Area
Mosquitoes are widespread throughout the globe and inhabit all continents except Antarctica. The widest range of the common mosquito ( Culex pipiens)
), which is distributed everywhere where a person is found - its main victim. In warm and humid tropical regions they are active throughout the year, but in temperate regions they overwinter as adults during the cold season. Arctic mosquitoes remain active for only a few weeks a year, when heat causes thermokarst pools of water to form on top of the permafrost. However, during this time they manage to breed in huge quantities - swarms of mosquitoes can take up to 300 ml of blood per day from each animal in the caribou herd. The eggs of mosquitoes that live in temperate latitudes are more resistant to the negative effects of cold than the eggs of mosquitoes that live in warmer climates. They can even withstand exposure to snow and freezing temperatures. In addition, adult individuals can survive throughout the winter in habitats suitable for their wintering (for example, warm and humid basements of residential buildings).
Distribution media
Humans have contributed to the spread of various species of mosquitoes throughout the world and their movement over long distances into regions where they are not native. First of all, these are journeys along sea routes, in which eggs, larvae and pupae of mosquitoes are transported in worn-out tires filled with water or containers with cut flowers. However, in addition to sea transport, mosquitoes have actively mastered travel on personal vehicles, trucks, trains and even airplanes. Thus, the spread of mosquitoes is difficult to control, and even quarantine measures have proven to be ineffective and difficult to implement in practice.
