How long does a mosquito bite last?

How long does it take for a mosquito to bite you?

• From the time it lands on you till the time you get a true bite. Put another way - how much time do I have to kill it?

• Answer:

  Generally, there's little delay in probing and biting once the mosquito has reached the skin.  The vast majority will begin to probe within a second or so.  Even if she (it is only the female mosquito that bites) fails to nick a capillary and draw blood, she'll have 'spit' some of her saliva into the wound.  That's sufficient to insight an allergic reaction and to transmit any nasty pathogens she might have in her saliva. How long until you react to the bite or probe?  That depends upon the kind of mosquito, your prior experience with her close relatives, and your general health.  For some mosquitoes, you may react within seconds.  For others, there may be a delay of minutes or even hours until the lesion is evident.