Linda A
Linda
When pulling out our filter to rinse it off, a large disgusting bug fell off. We've had the pond for 3-4 years now, and have never seen this before. Is it harmful to our fish and wildlife?
large disgusting bug
- Thread starter Linda A
- Start date
Post a picture and maybe we can identify it.
that's usually my descrip of a cicada. Ick!
Linda A
Linda
Linda A
Linda
Ok, we have the pond down to about a foot deep. Very very green, but the two koi are still there, and look healthy. We weren't sure as a heron stakes out our pond. That's one thing about the green water, it's probably saved them. My question is should we pull out the koi and do a complete water change to get rid of the algae, or should we just get some barley extract, treat it while it's low, and then fill it back up?
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
honestly to me they look like juvenile locust.. but i am no entimologist,for the green water problem, i would throw in some peroxide for a day then start filling the pond...dechlorinate and add the barley extract as it fills. thats how barley extract works it biodegrades, ferments..releasing humic acids that then become hydrogen peroxide..
yep, that looks like a cicada/locust thingee. They are horrid looking creatures and big as a man's thumb! They make that lovely screetching sound in the evenings that I love, but heck they are ugly. Yours look like their wings disintegrated by being in the water so long.
They come in a bunch of colors--sometimes they're green, sometimes brown, sometimes black with crazy blue highlights. Some are fatter, some are more slender. Dunno why. All I know is that they creep me out. LOL!
Here's what they look like alive.
They come in a bunch of colors--sometimes they're green, sometimes brown, sometimes black with crazy blue highlights. Some are fatter, some are more slender. Dunno why. All I know is that they creep me out. LOL!
Here's what they look like alive.
Linda A
Linda
They were alive in the pond.
Robyn
A Ponder-ing Newbie
Unless you have small fry or tadpoles you desperately want... put those suckers back in! They look to be typical dragonfly larvae and are GREAT to have around. They will eat all kinds of worse things... including many times their weight in skeeter larvae!
Here is a page of images from Google. Search under dragonfly nymph:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=dragonfly+nymph&aq=f&oq=
BTW... that weird thing on the mouth is called the "mask" and allows them to be wicked good at catching their meals!
Here is a page of images from Google. Search under dragonfly nymph:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=dragonfly+nymph&aq=f&oq=
BTW... that weird thing on the mouth is called the "mask" and allows them to be wicked good at catching their meals!
Linda A said:
ick! agh alive! then the poster who says dragonfly nymphs must be right.
Ig! Still dreadfully ugly!
Linda A
Linda
shoot. I killed them. I pictured them attacking my fish. I love dragonflies.
Robyn
A Ponder-ing Newbie
LOL
They WILL attack and kill small minnows... so if you have little ones, it could be a problem.
They WILL attack and kill small minnows... so if you have little ones, it could be a problem.
Robyn
A Ponder-ing Newbie
They ARE ugly... aren't they?
They leave the water like that before they change. Had one land on me repeatedly while I was working on the pond last week. Would not take no for an answer.
Did I mention that I HATE bugs? Especially ugly ones! LOL
They leave the water like that before they change. Had one land on me repeatedly while I was working on the pond last week. Would not take no for an answer.
Did I mention that I HATE bugs? Especially ugly ones! LOL
Linda A
Linda
They grossed me out as badly as snakes. I don't believe we have little ones this year. We had trouble the past two years with too many babies surviving. I made the mistake the first year of putting comets in with the koi. I must have had 30 or 40 goldfish in there. My neighbors children took many fish home. 
We have kept only two koi, the other koi fed the heron.
We have kept only two koi, the other koi fed the heron.
Robyn
A Ponder-ing Newbie
I was ok with snakes...just not the danged copperheads we have!
This is a good site for common insects in ponds:
http://www.weloveteaching.com/hopepond/macrobug/macrobug.htm
Tells what they are, has illustrations, and more importantly... says what they eat!
Damselflies larvae eat pond snails! No wonder I have so many...and boy am I glad of it!
This is a good site for common insects in ponds:
http://www.weloveteaching.com/hopepond/macrobug/macrobug.htm
Tells what they are, has illustrations, and more importantly... says what they eat!
Damselflies larvae eat pond snails! No wonder I have so many...and boy am I glad of it!