How many larval instars are there for a mosquito?

How many larval instars are there for a mosquito?

• A. 3
• B. 4
• C. 5
• D. 6

Answer: (B)

Mosquito larvae grow through a series of molts called instars, and for mosquitoes there are four of these feeding stages before they become pupae. After eggs hatch, the larva molts from the first instar into the second, then into the third, and finally into the fourth instar. It is at the end of that fourth molt that the larva enters the pupal stage, not another larval stage, and then later emerges as an adult. So the larval life comprises four instars in total. Other counts would imply either skipping molts or adding extra molts that don’t occur in the mosquito lifecycle, which isn’t how their development is organized.

Mosquito larvae grow through a series of molts called instars, and for mosquitoes there are four of these feeding stages before they become pupae. After eggs hatch, the larva molts from the first instar into the second, then into the third, and finally into the fourth instar. It is at the end of that fourth molt that the larva enters the pupal stage, not another larval stage, and then later emerges as an adult. So the larval life comprises four instars in total.

Other counts would imply either skipping molts or adding extra molts that don’t occur in the mosquito lifecycle, which isn’t how their development is organized.