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Female mosquitoes lay hundreds of eggs every few days, directly on or near water. Eggs typically hatch within 48 hours, emerging as larvae that live in the water and undergo four stages of molting to become pupae. Pupae live at the water surface, and the adult mosquito begins to develop, which can take up to four days before they are able to fly. Once they mate, males live three to five days and females live upwards of one to two months.

When tick eggs hatch, they become larvae and feed on the first host for several days before detaching. The larvae then transform into nymphs, which become active in the spring and look for their second host, repeating the process. During the final stage of its life cycle, it looks for its third host to feed, detach, and fall to the ground, where males die, and females go on to lay eggs before dying. 

Fleas lay between four to eight eggs, which fall to the ground and hatch within one to 12 days. The larval stage lasts from four to 18 days, and then the flea will enter the pupal stage, which can last anywhere from three days to one year. The fleas then become adults and begin searching for food. Fleas will likely become adults more rapidly when in warmer temperatures and high humidity.

Being bitten by mosquitoes is no fun, leaving you itchy and irritated for days. But mosquitoes and other biting insects can also be deadly. Disease cases from infected mosquitoes, ticks and fleas have tripled in the last 13 years, totaling more than 640,000 cases since 2004.

Zika Virus is spread by bites from infected mosquitoes. Read up on this illness, where it's prevalent, and ways you can protect yourself, your family, and your pets. It is important to understand the facts, preventative steps you can take to protect yourself and your family, and the role mosquito control can play in the spread of Zika Virus.