Mosquito Facts

All mosquitoes develop in still or very slow moving water.

Some mosquitoes lay eggs on damp ground. The eggs hatch with accumulated rain, rising river currents, or the flooding of irrigation water, although not all eggs will hatch at the next flooding.

Some species can survive the winter as adults, hibernating in a protected location. Some overwintering females will lay eggs in the spring.

Both male and female mosquitoes feed on nectar from flowers. Only females, however, bite animals to get blood. Females require a blood meal for egg development.

Female mosquitoes locate animals to bite by sensing the carbon dioxide they breathe out, odors, moisture, and body heat.

To mate, the male mosquitoes form swarms that attract female mosquitoes. The female's high-pitched humming beat of their wings enables the males to locate them. After mating, some species remain within a few hundred feet, while others disperse over many miles.

Adult mosquitoes frequently rest in grass or shrubbery during daylight hours.