mosquito
Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...
es are big, black or brown mosquitoes with sparkling on their wings and legs. They breed in ponds and lakes containing certain
aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments (saltwater or freshwater). They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that ...
s, especially the floating type like ''
Pistia stratiotes
''Pistia'' is a genus of aquatic plants in the arum family, Araceae. It is the sole genus in the tribe ''Pistieae'' which reflects its systematic isolation within the family. The single species it comprises, ''Pistia stratiotes'', is often calle ...
'' and
water hyacinth
''Pontederia crassipes'' (formerly ''Eichhornia crassipes''), commonly known as common water hyacinth is an aquatic plant native to South America, naturalized throughout the world, and often invasive outside its native range.siphon tubes. 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
herbicide
Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weedkillers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page fo ...
s.
A study published in 2013 determined that the species '' Mansonia dyari'' Belkin, Heinemann, and Page should be considered a potential vector of
Rift Valley fever virus
In geology, a rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics.
Typical rift features are a central linear downfaulted depression, called a graben, or more commonly a half-graben wi ...
and would need to be controlled if the virus were introduced into an area where it occurs.Turell, Michael J.; Britch, Seth C.; Aldridge, Robert L.; Kline, Daniel L.; Boohene, Carl; Linthicum, Kenneth J. 2013. Potential for Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) From Florida to Transmit Rift Valley Fever Virus. ''Journal of Medical Entomology'' 50(5): 1111-1117.