Mosquitoes
Click to enlarge image
© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Family
- Culicidae
- Super Family
- Culicoidea
- Infraorder
- Culicomorpha
- Order
- Diptera
- Class
- Insecta
- Subphylum
- Uniramia
- Phylum
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Number of Species
- 350
-
- Size Range
- 4 mm - 6 mm
Introduction
It is only the female mosquitoes that seek animals out for their blood, which they need in order to reproduce.
Habitat
Mosquitoes often live in urban areas.
Distribution
Mosquitoes are found throughout Australia.
Feeding and diet
The female mosquitoes eat animal blood.
Life history cycle
A few days after a blood meal, female mosquitoes lay about 200 eggs on any water surface-even small water bodies such as bottom trays of potplants are suitable. Most species produce egg 'rafts' where many eggs are cemented together, floating until they hatch after two to three days. Although they live in water, the larvae known as 'wrigglers' breathe air and come equipped with their own snorkelling equipment. Attached to their abdomen is a siphon, which they use when they come to the surface to breathe.
Mosquito pupa
Image: C Lowe© Australian Museum
Females live for about a month while males often live for only a week, during which they feed on nectar.
