As you will see, much of their life is spent in water, so getting rid of standing water plays a large role in controlling mosquitoes. There are four stages in the lifetime of a mosquito: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Mosquito eggs need water to hatch. Different species of mosquitoes prefer different places to lay their eggs. Some prefer to lay their eggs in standing water, such as water in old tires or buckets. Others like to lay their eggs in areas with a lot of organic material, like leaves and grass, so they lay their eggs in marshes and swamps. Some prefer fresh water; some like saltwater.
Mosquito larvae are called “wigglers” because they move with jerking movements of their bodies. They spend most of their time under the surface of the water, feeding on leaves and grass. They must have air to stay alive, so they wiggle to the surface. The larvae shed their skin four times as they grow and progress to the third stage, which is the pupa.
Mosquito pupae also need air to stay alive. They continue to feed on grasses and leaves under the surface of the water, but they must come up for air. After several days in the pupa stage, the pupae mature into adult mosquitoes.