Can you id this pond life?

Discussion in 'Water Gardening' started by fiwi, May 20, 2006.

  1. fiwi

    fiwi Apprentice Gardener

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    I have noticed a HUGE amount of these weird thingies in my tiny pond - does anybody know what they are and if they are good or bad for the pond / surrounding garden.
    The picture is blown up alot, the second one is in a wine glass. :confused:
    fiwi
    [​IMG]
    http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/fiwi/DSCN1807.jpg
     
  2. Hornbeam

    Hornbeam Gardener

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    Looks like mosquito larva. They float just below the surface and wriggle a lot. A snorkel from their rear end pokes above the surface film and allows them to breathe.

    Nature invents - man copies
     
  3. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    Do you have fish fiwi?
    I agree with Hornbeam, they look like mosquito larvae, they are harmless.
    I think the fish in my pond eat them.
     
  4. Honey Bee

    Honey Bee Gardener

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    They look like mozzie lavae to me too - excellent fish fodder!!!!
     
  5. fiwi

    fiwi Apprentice Gardener

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    Thank you for your replies. No I don't have fish but I have a lot of tadpoles, hopefully the frogs will like them.
    fiwi
     
  6. Rich

    Rich Gardener

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    The next and penultimate stage of their life cycle is little black comma shapes which swim down to the bottom when disturbed.

    Although neither are particularly nutritional they give the fish exercise chasing them.
     
  7. Liz

    Liz Gardener

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    I'm not so sure about being harmless, they hatch out and bite you! :D
     
  8. Hornbeam

    Hornbeam Gardener

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    but only the females. Typical!
     
  9. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    :eek: Then why do they seem to prefer to bite women rather than men...???????????? :confused:
     
  10. Rich

    Rich Gardener

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    We noticed at scout camp, many many years ago that the boys that washed kept getting bitten and those that didn't wash didn't get bitten.

    Other than that I can't say I've noticed a gender thing.
     
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