Things That Eat Mosquito Larvae

Mosquitoes often lay their eggs in stagnant water, including ponds and tide water pools. These bodies of water are often home to fish, many of which feed on mosquito larvae. The Gambusia affinis, also known as the western mosquitofish, consumes up to 167 percent of its body weight in invertebrate prey each day, including mosquito larvae. Goldfish, killifish, guppies, bass, bluegill and catfish also consume mosquito larvae.

Some frogs and toads, including cricket frogs, chorus frogs and spring peepers, frequently feed on mosquito larvae. One toad may consume up to 100 mosquito larvae per night. Although tadpoles mostly feed on algae and plants, some species occasionally prey on mosquito larvae. The red-eared slider turtle has also been used to control the mosquito larvae population. In a 2007 study published by the American Mosquito Control Association, red-eared sliders reduced the number of mosquito larvae in an experimental enclosure by 99 percent over a five-week period.

While many types of birds, such as purple martins, eat mosquitoes, only a few species eat their larvae. Juvenile waterfowl species and migratory songbirds occasionally eat mosquito larvae and periodically rely on them as their primary source of nutrition. Tree swallows prey on both mosquitoes and their larvae.

Many types of other insects make mosquito larvae part of their diet. Dragonflies are sometimes called "mosquito hawks," and dragonfly and damselfly naiads often feast on mosquito larvae. Aquatic beetles and their young often live in temporary pools or ponds, consuming nearly anything that moves, including their own kind. These worm-like beetles, the most common species of which are the predaceous diving beetle and the water scavenger beetle, feast on many types of larvae, including those of mosquitoes.