Field Guide to Venomous and Medically Important Invertebrates ...

eeders or cages for rearing to the adult stage. This is an excellent and passive means of
conducting surveillance when pupae are found in abundance.
When the adult stage emerges from the pupal skin at the water surface, they are very vulnerable
to wind and water movement, predators, and other factors until they are ready to fly. A newly
emerged adult mosquito must rest on the surface of the water for a short time to allow itself to
dry and all its body parts to harden. The length of each developmental stage depends on
environmental conditions such as temperature and characteristics specific to a given species.
However, the complete life cycle for most species generally takes about 14 days or less.
Figure 179. Emerging adult mosquito. Photo: Richard C. Russell.
Blood feeding and mating usually do not occur for a couple of days after the adults emerge from
the source habitat. Only female mosquitoes require a blood meal and bite animals - warm or
cold blooded – including birds, reptiles and amphibians. Stimuli that influence biting and blood
feeding include a combination of carbon dioxide, temperature, moisture, smell, color, movement,
and other chemical cues. Male mosquitoes do not bite, but feed on the nectar of flowers or other
suitable sugar sources. Acquiring a blood meal (protein) is essential for egg production, but
otherwise both male and female mosquitoes are mostly nectar feeders. Female Toxorhynchites
do not take a bloodmeal and feed on nectar only.