Mosquitoes Lifespan: How Long Do Mosquitoes Live?

If you have ever been camping or spent any time outside during a hot summer night, you no doubt know about the existence of mosquitoes. However, how long do mosquitoes live? You may want to know the next time they bite you.

There are approximately 3,600 species of mosquitoes worldwide. While they are not everybody’s favorite animal, they are still an integral part of our ecosystems and are worth learning about. Let’s discuss the average mosquito life cycle as well as how their lives compare to other insects. 

How Long Do Mosquitoes Live?

Mosquitoes live an average of two weeks, depending on the species. Some females have been known to survive for as long as five months, but the average mosquito usually dies in a month or less.

The mosquito that manages to survive longer than a month or two is no doubt in a more secluded or protected area, such as the lofts of your home or outdoors away from humans. Human interference is one of the leading causes of death in mosquitoes. 

If you are ever bitten by a mosquito, you should know that it is only female mosquitoes that bite. Male mosquitoes and baby mosquitoes don’t drink blood, getting the majority of their sustenance from plant matter. 

The Average Mosquito Life Cycle

If you’d like to know more about the average mosquito life cycle, you’re in the right place. From drinking our blood to transforming into the flying insects we love to hate, this is the life cycle of the average mosquito. 

Wriggler

When a female mosquito lays her eggs, she is no longer responsible for the bugs in question. These insects hatch from their eggs into their newborn stage, also known as the wriggler stage. Wrigglers are small, larvae-like creatures that live in the water where they hatched.

Wrigglers feed in the water, gaining energy and strength so that they can transform into their next stage of life. The amount of time it takes a newborn mosquito to reach its next stage of life varies by species and environmental factors, such as water temperature. 

Wrigglers do not feed on blood, but rather the algae and plant matter found at the surface of the water. They require oxygen during this stage, just like they will when they are fully grown. 

Tumbler

Once they have fed and have adequate nutrition to transform, newborn mosquitoes enter a pupa stage. They are known as tumblers during this time, and remain in the water where they were first born.

Given that this is a pupa stage, these mosquitoes are not eating, sleeping, or able to fly yet. They are essentially cocooned and protected for the next period of time. This pupating process takes a week to a month, depending on the mosquito species and environment.

Adult Mosquitoes

Once the pupa has reached an adequate temperature and nutrition level, an adult mosquito emerges from its cocoon. These adults then fly in search of blood and sustenance, ready to lay eggs as soon as possible.

Depending on the species and location, adult mosquitoes can live anywhere from two weeks to five months. However, most mosquitoes survive only for one to two weeks.

How Does Their Lifespan Compare to Flies?

Another species disliked by humanity is the fly. You may be wondering how the mosquito life cycle and lifespan compare to this other common household pest. Let’s discuss how the fly’s lifespan is similar to that of the mosquito. 

The average housefly also lives two to four weeks. This is strikingly similar to that of the mosquito. Flies are also similar to mosquitoes in that they have a very similar life cycle. Flies hatch from eggs, have a larval stage, and then emerge as fully formed adults.

Also similar to mosquitoes, flies tend to live longer in locations that are more secluded or protected from human interference. A warm and dry home attic is an optimal place for a fly to live.

Technically, flies and mosquitoes are a part of the same order (Diptera). This may be why they have a similar life cycle and lifespan. However, houseflies generally live slightly longer than most mosquitoes, with a typical lifespan of 15 to 30 days compared to 1 to 2 weeks for most mosquitoes.

Another similarity between these two species is their ability to carry diseases. Mosquitoes are considered the most dangerous insects in the world due to their role in transmitting deadly diseases, while some species of flies can also transmit diseases, but are generally less significant vectors for human health.

Why Mosquitoes Bite

Mosquitoes bite humans to feed on their blood and lay eggs. Female mosquitoes need the iron present in human blood in order to produce their young. Male mosquitoes do not drink blood and survive solely on plant material. 

Mosquitoes have been known to bite certain types of people, based on blood type, sweat levels, and diet. They are attracted to certain chemicals, and research suggests mosquitoes may prefer people with certain blood types, particularly type O, due to chemicals secreted by the skin.

Body heat is also something that attracts female mosquitoes and often leads to bites. Many people who exercise or exude extreme amounts of body heat are more likely to be bitten than people who maintain cooler temperatures.