Can You Describe The Life Cycle Of The Anopheles Mosquito?

Egg: The eggs are laid on stagnant water and have air floats which enable them to stay on the surface on the water to obtain sufficient oxygen for respiration. During this stage the yolk in the egg provides food.

Larva: In about 2 days the eggs hatch out into larvae. Each larva is elongated, with a head, thorax and abdomen. The hind end of the abdomen bears a pair of spiracles. The high surface tension of the water enables the larva to stay near the surface. It feeds on microscopic plants and animals in the water.

Pupa: In about one week the larva changes into a pupa. The pupa has a large round cephalothorax and a curved abdomen. The abdomen has a pair of caudal flaps used for swimming. It feeds on the stored food accumulated during the larval stage.

Adult: After 5 to 10 days the adult emerges from the pupa case, spreads its wings and flies away. When it rests on a substratum it has its abdomen tilted at an angle to the horizontal. It has a long proboscis which can pierce through the skin and it sucks up blood from the body of vertebrates (e.g. man). Only the female anopheles mosquito sucks blood from man.