Larvae Information

This is an immature life stage of an insect. But some people also use the term to describe the early life stages of fish, frogs or other animals. Usually, the larva looks very different from the adult it will become. A caterpillar, for example, doesn’t look much like a butterfly. The larval stage of the insect may also have completely different organs and structures than the adult, as well as a different diet. A frog larva has gills and breathes water, while the adult frog will come to the surface to fill its lungs with air.

Larvae (the plural of larva) are often adapted to very different environments than they will live in as adults. Adult mosquitoes are airborne, for instance. But their larvae hang out in small pockets of still water. There they gobble up algae and bacteria living on the water’s surface

Key identifiers of larval mosquitoes

1. Large head and thorax; narrow, wormlike abdomen.
2. Hang just below the water surface, breathing air through tubes at the end of the abdomen.
3. When disturbed, they wriggle or squirm downward with jerking movements.
4. Pupal stage is comma-shaped; also hangs just under the water surface.
5. Aquatic, usually in still or stagnant water, including swampy areas, puddles, gutters, and discarded car tires.

Life Cycle

After a blood meal, females rest a few days and develop 100-400 or more eggs. These they usually deposit on the water, flying close and tapping the abdomen onto the surface. Eggs hatch in a few days and spend about a week as “wrigglers.” The pupal stage lasts 2-3 days, after which adults emerge, climbing out onto the water surface. Adults mate within a few days, and females begin seeking blood. The life cycle usually takes a few weeks, but when conditions are right, it can take only 10 days.

Visualizations of Larvae Data