Four common malaria mosquito (Anopheles quadrimaculatus) larvae in water. The time it takes for these larvae to pupate, and eventually emerge as adults varies depending upon ambient temperature between around 5 to 15 days. The adults are known vectors of malaria; females feed on mammalian blood, and in doing so can inject malaria parasites, infecting the mammalian host and allowing the malaria parasites to complete their life cycle.