Sinaumed’s, during the rainy season you may often find pools of water which are everywhere and can trigger the birth of mosquito larvae. In general, children have a fairly large curiosity.
Mosquitoes have various kinds, but currently one type of mosquito that is most feared by many people, namely Aedes Aegypti . Mosquitoes also have 4 stages for their life cycle, starting from being an egg, then a larva, then a pupa, and becoming an adult.
Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on its website, all stages of life from egg to adult, of course, take about 8 to 10 days.
As you already know, these mosquitoes really like to suck blood from humans, these types of mosquitoes are female animals. Based on the quote reported by Widya Wiyata Pertama World Insects, that the blood he has sucked is used as a process for mosquitoes to lay eggs.
Mosquitoes suck human blood by using their needle-like mouths, then stick them into the body of humans or animals.
The female mosquito, once sucking blood is very large, which is about twice the size of its body. The blood is needed to store a protein for the egg. After sucking blood one to five times, these animals usually immediately lay eggs to death.
The Aedes Aegypti mosquito , only flies a few blocks in its life. Unlike other mosquito animals, this mosquito prefers to suck blood from humans. And these animals are very comfortable living together near humans.
Therefore, these animals can be found in a number of houses and buildings. This place did not use a screen on the windows nor did it have a door nor did it leave the door open. Unlike female mosquitoes, this type of male mosquito prefers to suck water or plant extracts.
Mosquitoes are small insects whose presence is quite disturbing to humans. Not only as a source of disease, mosquito bites also cause allergic reactions, for example, itching or bumps.
However, did you know that actually the main food of mosquitoes is flower essence so it is not blood from humans. Here are six interesting facts about mosquitoes that you didn’t know about.
- Mosquitoes do not have teeth, these animals suck their food source by using their proboscis.
- This mosquito animal has a main food in the form of juice and flowers or nectar.
- Male mosquito species usually don’t suck blood, so only the female type requires protein in the blood to make eggs
- There are about 3000 species of mosquitoes in the world
- Mosquitoes have existed since the time of the dinosaurs.
- These animals cannot live for a long time, the life span for Culex mosquitoes is only around 7 days.
Mosquito Life Cycle
Mosquitoes have a fairly perfect life cycle process, divided into 4 stages, from laying eggs, becoming larvae, to pupae, and adult mosquitoes. After this male mosquito animal marries a female animal, then he will look for a blood that he uses to nourish the eggs.
The development of this stage is called metamorphosis, which is further discussed in the book Metamorphosis Series: Ngiing…Ngiing…Flying Mosquitoes which is below.
It usually takes about 3 to 4 days after the animal sucks blood for the egg to form. Here are the complete phases of the mosquito life cycle from being an egg to being an adult.
1. Eggs
Usually the parents will find a moist environment, for example, a pool of water. This animal uses a sensor that it has under its stomach to measure the appropriate temperature and humidity. After the mosquito incubates the eggs until they hatch.
A number of mosquitoes have small egg shapes similar to dust and are scattered in ponds. But there are also mosquitoes that assemble their eggs close together. In this egg-laying phase it takes 2 days until it finally hatches as a larva.
2. Larvae
The incubation phase can generally last for about 5 to 10 days, depending on environmental temperature, food, and the presence of other predators. Larvae have different shapes and characteristics according to each species.
An example is the Culex mosquito larva, which has a shape similar to a pipe or a slender siphon, with fine hairs around the larvae that are irregular and hang on aquatic plants. While the Anopheles mosquito does not have a siphon.
3. Pupae
4. Adult Mosquitoes
Usually adult mosquitoes will be on the surface of the water to dry their bodies so they can fly. In general, the male type of mosquito will come out of the cocoon first, followed by the female. This is the final phase of the mosquito before the adult mosquito returns to reproduce and repeats its life cycle.
Mosquitoes are considered as quite deadly insect animals. This is because mosquito bites are the cause of outbreaks of dengue fever. Dengue fever is a disease caused by Dengue Virus (DENV).
In order to prevent mosquitoes from dengue fever, it is better to keep the environment clean. By closing the water reservoir and spraying which functions to kill the larvae and mosquitoes around your environment.
Cycle and Lifespan of Mosquitoes
How many days does the mosquito life cycle last?
The mosquito life cycle from egg to adult usually takes 8 to 14 days. However, the time of the mosquito life cycle cycle can vary and depends on a number of factors, namely temperature and also the quality of the food source needed at the larval stage.
How long do mosquitoes live?
If you are repeatedly asked how long mosquitoes live, then the following is the response.
In general, how long the life span of these animals depends on several factors, such as:
- Humidity
- Mosquito species
- Temperature
- Presence of natural predators
- Gender
However, the average age for male mosquitoes is known to have a fairly shorter age than the age for female mosquitoes. This type of male mosquito can only survive for 10 days or a week. Meanwhile, the age of female mosquitoes can range from 3 to 4 weeks and can even take longer depending on the species.
To better understand the metamorphosis cycle of mosquitoes and other animals which are divided into two, namely perfect and imperfect metamorphosis, the Science Comic book Smart Boy: Metamorphosis comes with various interesting illustrations!
Diseases Caused by Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are one of the most deadly animals in the world. Because of his expertise in spreading a disease, it can result in millions of deaths each year.
Based on data from WHO in 2015, malaria causes 438 thousand deaths worldwide. Not only malaria, another mosquito-borne disease, namely dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can also cause a number of fatalities.
Breaking the life cycle of mosquitoes can help you stay protected from various kinds of diseases, including:
1. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF)
Cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever have increased by about 30 times in the last 30 years. So you need to anticipate the disease. If not then you need to immediately prevent it and handle it, because Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever can cause death.
2. Malaria
Indonesia still has a number of flows that are endemic to malaria. For sufferers, the disease can produce symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, fever, and chills.
3. Zika
Zika is a disease caused by a virus that is spread by mosquitoes. The virus is quite dangerous, if faced by a pregnant woman. Because the Zika virus can trigger physical disorders of the fetus, namely microcephaly or which is characterized by the size of the baby’s head that is so small.
4. Chikungunya
Chikungunya can be marked by the appearance of a lump or swelling similar to the symptoms of joint disorders. These sufferers can experience pain such as nausea, headaches, and red spots. There is no medicine that can cure this disease. However, this disease can heal by itself.
5. Yellow Fever or Yellow Fever
As the name implies, sufferers of yellow fever will have the characteristic color of the skin and eyes turning yellow. If it’s mild, the disease can only cause back pain, headaches, vomiting to chills.
6. Elephant’s Foot
Elephantiasis or the term lymphatic filariasis is a disease caused by parasites that have lodged in the body’s lymphatic system. The body’s lymphatic system has the goal of regulating the balance of body fluids and fighting infection. Disturbances in the balance of body fluids, causing the legs to look swollen and then a term called elephantiasis appears.
How to Break the Mosquito Life Cycle
Anticipating the spread of diseases caused by mosquito bites, it is effective when mosquitoes are in the early stages of their life cycle. So, there’s nothing wrong with understanding in detail about the life cycle of mosquitoes.
An effective way to avoid a disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes is to break the life cycle.
There are various ways you can do this. However, in general, the steps for 3M plus were initiated by the Indonesian Ministry of Health which were considered as effective steps.
Here’s how to break the life cycle of mosquitoes using the 3M steps :
Drain
Routinely drain a water reservoir that you frequently use, for example a bucket or bathtub. As well as the need to drain and clean the drinking water containers in dispensers and refrigerators.
Close
Close tightly the water reservoirs, for example water drums, jugs to plant pots.
Utilizing Used Goods Back
Utilizing or using used goods again or what we usually call recycling used places that can hold water. We can use this as a step to break the life cycle of mosquitoes properly.
While the steps that require implementation other than the three steps above are:
- Provide larvicidal powder in water reservoirs that are difficult to clean
- Use mosquito repellent
- Avoid the habit of hanging clothes in the house
- Wear mosquito nets when sleeping
- Regulate ventilation and light in the house
- Raising fish that can prey on mosquito larvae
- Plant mosquito repellent plants
The mosquito life cycle has four stages, namely laying eggs, becoming larvae, then pupae, and turning into adult mosquitoes. The life cycle occurs for 8 to 10 days.
The life cycle of mosquitoes can be broken so that the spread of diseases through mosquitoes can be prevented. Of course it could save a number of lives. With the fact that the mosquito is a deadly animal in the world with several diseases it carries.
Diseases such as Malaria, Chikungunya, DHF, elephantiasis, and yellow fever are diseases that can be avoided by breaking the chain of life.
So you need to remember to keep doing draining activities, and closing all stagnant water places, and recycling used items around the house so they don’t get buried and turn them into mosquito nests.
Unique Facts about Mosquitoes
Sinaumed’s, it turns out there are some unique facts about mosquitoes that people rarely know about. In the following, the author has collected some unique facts that Sinaumed’s must know.
1. Mosquitoes are classified as deadly animals
This animal is already known as a deadly animal in the world. Where mosquitoes have caused more human death than wild animals such as sharks or snakes. Despite their very small size, mosquitoes are known to kill more than 700,000 people each year. Mosquitoes are also animals that cause infectious diseases such as Malaria, Zika, and Dengue.
2. Only Female Mosquitoes Bite Humans
Does Sinaumed’s know that female mosquitoes are a type of mosquito that likes to suck human blood. While male mosquitoes do not.
Actually, the main food of both male and female mosquitoes is nectar, which is a sweet substance in a plant. However, male mosquitoes only eat nectar and that is enough to meet their energy needs.
Meanwhile, female mosquitoes need additional energy in the form of protein substances to lay eggs. Therefore, female mosquitoes still have to suck human blood. This is because human blood contains protein and amino acids which are important for the mosquito’s body to produce eggs and develop them.
3. Mosquitoes Have Been There Since the Age of Dinosaurs
Did Sinaumed’s already know that mosquitoes have existed since the time of the dinosaurs. This is evidenced by the discovery of biting insect fossils. This fossil has been identified as dating from the Triassic Period. Where the era occurred in 199-251 million years ago.
So, those are some explanations about the life cycle of mosquitoes and their unique facts. Remember, Sinaumed’s, to avoid several types of diseases caused by mosquitoes, we must be diligent and routinely maintain the cleanliness of the environment. In addition, we also need to apply some of the tips described above.
For Sinaumed’s who want to study or know the life cycle of mosquitoes and other unique facts in more detail. The author would recommend the following books that discuss mosquitoes and other animals.