A single larva of the northern house mosquito Culex pipiens, suspended head down from water surface. A single female lays between 40 to 400 eggs onto
A single larva of the northern house mosquito Culex pipiens, suspended head down from water surface. A single female lays between 40 to 400 eggs onto water surface, which quickly hatch into larvae. The larvae are heavier than water yet are able to remain in their favoured position through surface tension effects around a ring of hairs that surrounds the opening of the breathing apparatus. This siphon tube is attached to the 8th abdominal segment - the last segment points downwards into the water. Larvae filter-feed on algae & other suspended detritus; a single larva is capable of filtering 1 litre of water per day.
Size: 3591px × 4894px
Photo credit: © CLAUDE NURIDSANY & MARIE PERENNOU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: animal, culex, house, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, larva, mosquito, nature, northern, northn, pipiens, surface, tension, wildlife, zoology
