Mansonia mosquitoes are big, black or brown mosquitoes with sparkling on their wings and legs. They breed in ponds and lakes containing certain aquatic plants, especially the floating type like Pistia stratiotes and water hyacinth. The eggs are laid in star-shaped clusters on the undersurface of leaves of these plants. The larvae and pupae are found attached to the rootlets of these plants by their . They obtain their air supply from these rootlets. When about to become adult, these pupae come to the surface of water and the fully formed adults emerge and escape. The control of Mansonia mosquitoes is easy by removal or destruction of the aquatic host plants by herbicides.