Editing Mosquito (section)

=== Larva ===

The mosquito larva's head has prominent mouth brushes used for feeding, a large [[Thorax (insect anatomy)|thorax]] with no legs, and a segmented [[Abdomen#Arthropoda|abdomen]]. It breathes air through a siphon on its abdomen, so must come to the surface frequently. It spends most of its time feeding on [[algae]], bacteria, and other microbes in the water's surface layer. It dives below the surface when disturbed. It swims either by propelling itself with its mouth brushes, or by jerkily wriggling its body. It develops through several stages, or [[instar]]s, molting each time, after which it [[metamorphosis|metamorphoses]] into a [[pupa]].<ref name="EPA life cycle">{{cite web |title=Mosquito Life Cycle |date=21 February 2013 |url=https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/mosquito-life-cycle |publisher=[[Environmental Protection Agency]] |access-date=12 December 2023 |archive-date=19 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219184319/https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/mosquito-life-cycle |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Aedes'' larvae, except when very young, can withstand drying; they go into [[diapause]] for several months if their pond dries out.<ref name="Huang Walker Vulule Miller 2006"/>

<gallery class="center" mode="nolines" heights=200 widths=200>
File:AnophelesLarvaPhoto CDCHarryWeinburgh publicdomain.jpg|''[[Anopheles]]'' larva
File:Culex restuans larva diagram en.svg|Anatomy of a ''[[Culex]]'' larva
File:Culex sp larvae.png|''Culex'' larvae plus one pupa
</gallery>