It’s December now. It is likely that you looked out your window this morning to see some fresh snow fall. Maybe you took the kids out sledding last weekend, or hit the slops, or laced up the skates. Maybe you sat inside and enjoyed some warm coco and a good book. Whatever your activities have been it’s likely that something has been absent: mosquitoes. Maybe you haven’t given it much thought before, but it’s a valid question. Where Do Mosquitoes Go In Winter?

Where Do Mosquitoes Go in the Winter?

The answer varies depending on the species of the mosquito, but they are all covered below. Many mosquitos lay eggs that are hardy enough to survive the long, cold winters. The female mosquitoes lay their eggs in the soft, moist soil, and the eggs lay dormant until the spring brings its warmer temperatures and rainfall. Other mosquitoes survive winter in the larval stage, in a sort of hibernated state, where their metabolism is slowed and their development stilted until the spring months. But many mosquitoes survive the winter as matured adults. Male mosquitoes die in the fall, after mating, but the female mosquitoes often find shelter in logs, animal burrows, and sometimes in homes until the temperatures rise again to a suitable degree. All mosquitoes lay eggs, either singly or in groups (called “rafts”).

All eggs require water as part of their habitat. Once the eggs hatch into larva they begin feeding on organic matter and microorganisms in the water. They undergo four molting stages (where they shed their skins) before being transformed into a pupa. The pupal stage is a resting stage. While this stage does not involve active feeding, the pupas can be active themselves, responding to changes in light with a flip of their tail. This process is not unlike the metamorphosis stage that butterflies endure. After the pupal stage the pupa is now a mature, adult mosquito.

Sources:

Mosquito.org

Insects.about.com

Mosquito Reviews