The adults deposit eggs on mud or on sand and about one week later larvae emerge. The larvae are found in mud, salt marshes and intertidal sand. If removed from the substrate, each of the four larval instars is large enough to be seen by the unaided eye. After feeding and developing for 6 months to a year, larvae pupate and adults soon emerge. Adult biting midges live about a month.
Females take several blood meals and lay several batches of eggs.
The males feed on plant juices. Along the North Carolina coast and around inland breeding sites, flies are usually present throughout most of the warm weather seasons. Though screening is effective in keeping mosquitoes outdoors, it does not completely prevent biting midges from entering houses. As with mosquito control, wide area control programs should be administered by professionals. For anyone engaging in outdoor activities, the best defense against biting midges is personal protection in the form of repellents .