A mosquito goes from egg to adult in about a week

The typical mosquito life cycle from egg to adult takes about 7 to 10 days, assuming warm weather and standing water.

Temperature is the main variable. In hot conditions (80°F or above), some species can go from egg to biting adult in as little as 4 days. In cooler weather (50-60°F), that same cycle can stretch to two or three weeks.

The stages break down roughly like this: eggs hatch within 24-48 hours, larvae (wrigglers) feed for 4-7 days, then pupae (tumblers) transform into adults in 1-2 days. The adults live another few weeks to months depending on species and conditions.

This is why dumping standing water weekly is the go-to advice for mosquito control. You’re breaking the cycle before the next generation can fly off and find you.

So if you’ve got a birdbath or a clogged gutter, change or clean it every seven days — that’s your window.