Where Do Mosquitoes Go in the Winter?

After a great summer of enjoying the outdoors, it’s can be hard to say goodbye to warm weather, your vacations, and summer activities. There’s one thing you won’t miss, though – and that’s mosquitoes. As the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, you might notice fewer of these pesky insects as the temperatures drop. But where exactly are mosquitoes going?

The Mosquito Life Cycle

To understand what happens to mosquitoes, you must understand their life cycle and habits. These insects have been around for millions of years and have continuously adapted to the environment around them to ensure their survival. The stages of the mosquito life follow this pattern:

• Female mosquito lays eggs in standing water
• Eggs hatch within 24-48 hours
• Larvae develop into pupae within 10 days
• Approximately 48 hours later, the mosquito turns into an adult

Male mosquitoes have a lifespan of about 10 days, dying after mating. This means that male mosquitoes typically never make it to the fall. Whereas female mosquitoes lay their eggs in the fall in areas where the ground is moist. This species depends on water and moisture in all stages of its life. Eggs that are laid in the fall can lie dormant until the following spring – hatching when the temperature rises, and the weather allows for enough rain. Mosquitoes can even lay eggs in frozen water, staying perfectly intact until warmer weather melts the water, allowing the eggs to hatch.

Surviving the Winter

Temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit start to indicate that mosquito season is over – and that these insects better go dormant in preparation for winter. Female mosquitoes will search and burrow into the ground, in trees, logs, or other safe places to enter their own “hibernation.” Occasionally, mosquitoes will make their way into your home, in areas like your basement or attic, to seek this ideal shelter before entering hibernation mode.

Mosquitoes in areas of cold temperatures or with a lack of water will enter a stage called diapause. In diapause, mosquitoes delay their development while slowing their metabolism. After taking shelter in a darker and warmer place, female mosquitoes will enter this state and stay in it until the weather warms up again or enough water is provided. They can stay in this suspended state for several months until the environment is ideal for the insects' needs.

Technically, this state isn’t the type of hibernation that you think of – they aren’t like sleeping bears. Mosquitoes don’t sleep until the weather gets warmer, rather, they stay in a suspended development so that their bodies aren’t affected by the change of the season.