Adult females usually live about a week or two, while adult males live only long enough to mate, about two to four days. Only female mosquitoes bite. They need the protein in blood to produce eggs.

A female can produce as many as 250 eggs from one bloodmeal. After the eggs are laid, they may hatch in a couple of days or it may be months before they hatch.

The larva, or wriggler, emerges from the egg and grows from 1/16" to 1/4" in length in four to ten days, depending on the temperature of the water they grow in.

The next stage is the pupa, or tumbler. This stage lasts only about two days. During this time the mosquito transforms from the aquatic larva into the flying adult. The pupa does not feed.

Quicktime Movies:
Asian Tiger Mosquito larvae swimming in water. 320 x 240, 644K

Asian Tiger Mosquito pupa swimming in water. Pupae go through metamorphosis to develop into adults. 320 x 240, 809K

An adult female Asian Tiger Mosquito that has pierced the skin of a poor graduate student with her proboscis. Notice the swelling abdomen as it fills with blood. Only female mosquitoes feed on blood; males feed on plant nectar and juices. 320 x 240, 1.1 MB

Special thanks to Belinda Carroll, Entomology Department, Virginia Tech for use of the Quicktime movies. These movies are not for commercial use and may not be reproduced or reused without permission from Virginia Tech.