Should I kill these insects?
July 8, 2011 5:41 PM Subscribe
What are these tiny round insects in my lily pond and should I get rid of them?
The insects are too small to take a photo of, but the water is seething with them swimming around in circles and hopping along the sides of the pond seemingly eating the algae. They are perfectly round and black with no visible appendages.
Definitely not mosquito larvae and they are not eating the plants but the sheer number of them is making me think I need to prepare for a culling. If so, how? Any ideas?
Incidentally, the "pond" is on a 5th floor balcony in Tokyo that rarely sees any wildlife other than an occasional pigeon.
The insects are too small to take a photo of, but the water is seething with them swimming around in circles and hopping along the sides of the pond seemingly eating the algae. They are perfectly round and black with no visible appendages.
Definitely not mosquito larvae and they are not eating the plants but the sheer number of them is making me think I need to prepare for a culling. If so, how? Any ideas?
Incidentally, the "pond" is on a 5th floor balcony in Tokyo that rarely sees any wildlife other than an occasional pigeon.
I was going to suggest springtails... but while tiny, they are not perfectly round. I don't think they, or any other seething tiny things are worth culling. IAMNAA, (I am not an aquaculturalist) just an amateur pondscummolier.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 6:42 PM on July 8, 2011
posted by Cold Lurkey at 6:42 PM on July 8, 2011
I had a nice patio pond like that a few years ago and stocked with gold fish to keep little buggers like that at bay. I never even fed the fish and they lived for a few years. With plants and algae I never had to clean up after them either.
posted by snsranch at 7:04 PM on July 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by snsranch at 7:04 PM on July 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Your lily pond has a goldfish deficiency.
posted by flabdablet at 7:10 PM on July 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 7:10 PM on July 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
They're whirligig beetles. You don't need to kill them, they're not doing any harm.
posted by joannemullen at 7:22 PM on July 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by joannemullen at 7:22 PM on July 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the replies!
I was hoping they were whirligig beetles, but they are completely underwater and their shape is different from whirligig and springtail larvae. I'll wait until they get a little bigger and maybe I'll be able to tell. I'm just a bit freaked out by the incredible number of critters in such a tiny place.
When I had goldfish and snails in the pond there was never a bug infestation. However, last summer got too hot and all residents died (except for 2 lucky goldfish survivors who have been relocated indoors). Maybe I'll move the goldfish into the pond overnight and see what happens...
Thanks again for your suggestions!!
posted by ameca at 8:26 PM on July 8, 2011
I was hoping they were whirligig beetles, but they are completely underwater and their shape is different from whirligig and springtail larvae. I'll wait until they get a little bigger and maybe I'll be able to tell. I'm just a bit freaked out by the incredible number of critters in such a tiny place.
When I had goldfish and snails in the pond there was never a bug infestation. However, last summer got too hot and all residents died (except for 2 lucky goldfish survivors who have been relocated indoors). Maybe I'll move the goldfish into the pond overnight and see what happens...
Thanks again for your suggestions!!
posted by ameca at 8:26 PM on July 8, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by scruss at 6:20 PM on July 8, 2011