Underwater-oviposition
Guides
Mansonia titillans
Mansonia titillans is a neotropical mosquito species in the tribe Mansoniini. It is the most abundant Mansoniini species in central Florida phosphate regions and has shown recent northern range expansion into South Carolina. The species is distinguished by its unique underwater oviposition behavior, where females deposit eggs on the undersurfaces of aquatic plant leaves. Larval development occurs in association with floating vegetation, particularly water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes).