Mosquitoes

There are more than 3500 species of mosquitoes worldwide. 

More than 300 of these species are found in Australia. 

There are almost 100 species of mosquitoes in Western Australia.

Canada has  60 species.

UK has  30 species

Pacific has 200 species

Eggs mature within 48 hours.

500 to 100 eggs per lay.

After larval stage (may be 30 cycles) undergo 20 more cell division cycles and become adults.

From egg to adult is only 10 days.

Male live on nectar for about a week.

The female live 5 to 7 weeks but given favourable living conditions can live up to 6 months.

1. There are about 3500 species of mosquitoes and about 2500 species probably  are in current circulation.

2. I believe, it is the most versatile insect on this planet.

3. Only about 40 species are diseases producing and the rest is an evolutionary store waiting to be discovered

4. All of them start life underwater as multitude of egg types.

5. The larvae are upside down in water and breath through a pair of siphon located in the tail end.

6. Anopheles do not have a siphon and lie flat on water surface and breath trough a pair of holes in one of the segments.

7. Job of larvae are to eat a lot and grow fast.
They are filter feeders.

8. Elephant mosquito larva eat other mosquito larvae

9. Dragon fly larva breakfast is mosquito larvae

10. 4 moults.

11. Emerges as a Pupa.
Trumpets (breathing apparatus) pop out from the head.

12. Some flowers are only pollinated by mosquitoes. 

Males only feed on sugar of flowers.

13. Adult mosquito has navigational tools.

14. Females of only some varieties need a blood meal before laying eggs.

15. Giant mosquito larvae while not blood suckers help to kill other mosquito larvae and control the population explosion.

16. Killing all mosquitoes is not a solution to control mosquito born disease.
Environmentally useful guys are also killed in that process.