Which statement about larval mosquito feeding is true?

• A. They feed exclusively on blood
• B. They feed only on algae
• C. They feed only on large invertebrates
• D. A few species are predaceous and feed on small invertebrates including other mosquito larvae

Answer: (D)

In the larval stage, mosquitoes are mostly feeding in the water on tiny life and organic particles rather than blood. They commonly eat microalgae, bacteria, and detritus, which sustain them while they develop. Blood feeding is something adults do, not larvae. There is an important exception: a few species are predaceous as larvae and actively feed on small invertebrates, including other mosquito larvae. This is why the statement about some larval mosquitoes being predatory is true. For example, mosquitoes in the genus Toxorhynchites are known to feed on other mosquito larvae. The other options don’t fit because larvae don’t feed exclusively on blood, algae-only feeding isn’t universal, and they don’t feed only on large invertebrates.