Collection of eggs of the northern house mosquito floating upright on surface of water. Numbers of eggs laid by a single female ranges from 40 to 400,

---

Collection of eggs of the northern house mosquito floating upright on surface of water. Numbers of eggs laid by a single female ranges from 40 to 400, depending on whether she had opportunity to drink blood prior to laying. Shortly after laying, which occurs in early spring, larvae hatch from the eggs. The larvae are heavier than water and must swim towards the water surface. Breathing takes place through a siphon tube situated at the rear of the abdomen. The larvae therefore hang upside down, suspended by surface tension effects from a ring of hairs which surrounds the opening to the airway.

---

Size: 4995px × 3298px
Photo credit: © CLAUDE NURIDSANY & MARIE PERENNOU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, culex, egg, house, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, mosquito, nature, northern, pipiens, surface, tension, wildlife, zoology