We have approximately 50 species of mosquitoes in Jefferson County. Of these, the public commonly encounters about 12. It is important to know which species you are dealing with before control strategies can be planned and initiated, as the different species vary in breeding sites, flight ranges, peak activity periods, and biting behavior. These eggs hatch in 24 to 48 hours, and the mosquito larvae take 5 to 7 days to emerge as adults.
Fresh eggs are laid every day, so mosquito production is constant unless the water evaporates.
These species usually fly only 1 to 5 miles. These eggs are viable for several years, and will hatch in minutes after being submerged if water temperatures are in the right range. Because all the eggs hatch at once, large numbers of mosquitoes are produced simultaneously. This is why you have no mosquitoes on one day, and the next day you are covered with them. Some species also lay these eggs in dry artificial containers.