What are these black things?

[JenH]

Can anyone tell me what this is? I've seen one of the frogs in my waterfall shortly before these showed up (day or two) but didn't think it looked like frog eggs, and I would expect tadpoles to be swimming, not attached to rocks. When I tried to google it, it seems like black fly larvae, but we don't have black flies here in Indiana, that I've ever encountered or been aware of (thought that was a more northern thing) anyway, anyone know what they are? They are covering my waterfall and the exposed gravel in my bog too.

 

[addy1]

Well whatever it is you have a ton! I have not seen any in my bog or on rocks

 

[j.w]

Yep they look like black fly larvae but could be some other kind of fly larvae I suppose but definitely fly larvae. Won't hurt anything and the fish might enjoy a nibble or two on some if they can get at them.

 

[JenH]

The fish can't get to them, unless they somehow become detached from the waterfall, but they seem to have a pretty good grip on there! It looks like there are thousands. The picture doesn't even show a fraction of them. If they are fly larvae how do I get rid of it without hurting anything else?

 

[JenH]

Oh crap could it be mosquito larvae??

 

[addy1]

Oh crap could it be mosquito larvae??

nah they wiggle up and down, tend to stay on the surface of the water, not attached to rocks.

 

[j.w]

Here is a link on the black fly: http://insects.tamu....de/cimg222.html

Found this on how to get rid of them: http://www.getridofthings.com/pests/flies/get-rid-of-black-flies.htm

 

[JohnHuff]

I've seen this problem on another thread. Just sweep the larvae off the waterfalls and get the fish to eat them.

 

[Waterbug]

JW, winner, winner, chicken dinner

 

[j.w]

Ha Ha WB! Bring on the chicken!

 

[addy1]

Good job jw, have not seen those suckers here, yet.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

If those worms appear to have a sucker on their tail-end, they look exactly like something I had in my pond last year as well. A lot were found at the top of the waterfall, but whenever I disturbed the water and knocked some of them loose into the pond, the fish went crazy over them. I also found a ton of them downstream in my pumps. They never seemed to cause any problems in the water though, and I don't recall seeing any abundance of flies around.

I haven't seen any here yet this year, but I'm sure they'll be back.

 

[HARO]

Problem solved! They are newly-hatched tadpoles. First time I've ever had a clean pond (water only, no plants) when the frogs spawned. Every surface is covered with the little buggers!
John

 

[JenH]

I did wonder if they could have had something to do with the frogs. I had noticed a frog sitting up there a lot right about the sme time as those started showing up. THey still have not grown or changed or started swimming or anything like that. A lot of them though I wash off my waterfall, and that fish ahd a heyday with them. Guess time will tell.....

 

[Waterbug]

As Sheldon would say...is that sarcasm?