McMinnville Mosquito Services

Understanding the Mosquito Life Cycle

Mosquitoes undergo a four-stage life cycle, and understanding this process reveals why effective control requires targeting multiple stages simultaneously. Each phase presents different vulnerabilities and control opportunities. 

Our treatments can target mosquitoes at every stage, including:

• The egg stage. Female mosquitoes lay 100-300 eggs at a time on standing water surfaces or moist soil that will flood. In McMinnville's humid climate, eggs can survive dry conditions for months, hatching within minutes once water becomes available. This explains why mosquito populations often explode after rainfall; the eggs deposited weeks earlier suddenly hatch in puddles, clogged gutters, and low-lying areas throughout your yard.
• The larval stage. Commonly called "wrigglers," mosquito larvae live entirely in water, breathing through tubes at the surface while feeding on organic matter. This stage lasts 4-14 days, depending on temperature and species, with McMinnville's warm summers accelerating development. Larvae are vulnerable during this aquatic phase, making the elimination of standing water and larvicide treatments highly effective control methods.
• The pupa stage. The "tumbler" stage lasts 1-4 days as the mosquito transforms inside a comma-shaped casing at the water's surface. Pupae don't feed but remain active, tumbling when disturbed. While they're difficult to kill with treatments during this brief stage, eliminating their water habitat remains a practical approach. Warren County's frequent spring and summer rains mean new generations constantly enter this stage throughout mosquito season.
• Adulthood: Emerged adults rest near their breeding site for 24-48 hours while their bodies harden and wings dry. Males feed on nectar, while females seek blood meals needed for egg production. Adults live 2-3 weeks on average, during which a single female can produce multiple batches of eggs. Adults rest in shaded vegetation during the day; the trees and shrubs that make our neighborhoods beautiful also shelter mosquitoes between feeding times.

Understanding this rapid 7 to 21-day cycle from egg to egg-laying adult explains why mosquito problems feel endless. Multiple overlapping generations are developing simultaneously on your property throughout the season.