# Pond Lifeforms?



## Moonfox (Sep 19, 2007)

Hi!
Just wondering what sort of lifeforms would be expected to be found in a NSW pond (or, in my case, a recycling box filled with rainwater :lol. Other than the obvious mosquitoes, of course. I'm breeding food for my axolotl larvae, just wondering what buggies might be swimming along to cause damage, or provide a good feed.
Thanks.


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## 0_missy_0 (Sep 19, 2007)

Dragonfly larvae, tadpoles, is what I found in my pond last summer. Also some sort of bug that has a pair of "frog legs" and swims like a frogThey were fun to catch in the pool...


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## JasonL (Sep 19, 2007)

They are called "Boatmen" and "backswimmers" depending on the Sp. There are many types of insect lavae found in ponds, Stone fly, Mayfly Damselfly and Dragon fly lavae are all common in ponds, Dragon fly lavae (mudeyes) are highly predatory, feeding on anything they can catch, from tadpoles, small fish and other insect lavae, they also make a No. 1 trout bait.


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## PhilK (Sep 19, 2007)

They're so cool, dragonfly larvae. Real badass


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## Viridae (Sep 19, 2007)

These *******s, which give me the heebie jeebies when they are in the pool:






I don't think they bite, but christ they look nasty.






Backswimmers: which are little ****s because they bite.






Boatmen, which don't bite.


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## Helikaon (Sep 19, 2007)

Viridae said:


> These *******s, which give me the heebie jeebies when they are in the pool:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Viridae (Sep 19, 2007)

Thats their common name, they are in the family Nepidae. They are called water scorpions because they kind of look like them.

I also found this: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v438/n7068/full/438576a.html

I tell you what, 1. I didn't think that was possible because arthropods lack sophisticated breathing apparatus. and 2. I'd run the other way. Fast.


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## JasonL (Sep 20, 2007)

Northern Australia is home to the Gaint Fish Killer Bug, Lethocerus insulanus from the family Belostomatidae. They are quite common around Darwin and surrounding areas and are quite a scary insect, esp if your a small fish


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## addy (Oct 16, 2007)

cool!....i want a pond now


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## Blues Dog (Nov 21, 2007)

*Water Scorpians*

Another name for water scorpians is Toe Biter and with good reason. They're a predatory insect that grabs hold of their prey and then slams their very sharp probiscous into it. unfortunately at the bottom of a pond/pool your little toe looks like a big juicy grub and so they pounce. The long tube coming from from their rear is a snorkel so they can hang below the surface and keep breathing.

And yes it really hurts when they punch a hole into your toe. I stilll have the scar from when I got tagged as a10 year old


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