Pond Life: Insects

Pond skater

Gerris lacustris

 

Pond skater, Gerris lacustris

Another view of the specimen at the head of the page. These bugs skim around on the water surface and prey upon any unfortunate insects that may fall into the water. The heading picture shows the piercing mouthparts that this insect uses to suck the juices from its victims.

 

Water Stick Insect, Ranatra linearis

Ranatra linearis

Wild M8 Stereo Microscope
Surface illumination
Sample from Warnham Mill Pond 27 June 2004

Notonecta - Water Boatman or Backswimmer

Apparently these beasts can give a nasty bite - but I try to never gve them a chance!

Photographed at the pondside with an Aiptek Pocket Cam 3Mega digital camera

Mayfly nymph

Wild M8 Stereo Microscope
Sample from Warham Millpond, 27 June 2004
Camera: Canon Powershot S50
F4.9, 1/25 sec, ISO200

Warnham Mill Pond, July 2003.

Note details of the gills.

Phantom Midge larva: Chaoborus
Chaoborus

These larvae are almost completely transparent, hence "phantom". The specimen on the left was collected, Warnham Mill Pond, July 2003 The pairs of golden coloured sacs behind the head and in the 3rd segment from the tail are swim bladders. Although this specimen was paralysed, it still floated the right way up and with perfect neutral buoyancy. Wild M8 with surface illumination.

The specimen below was collected from Warnham Mill Pond 19-Feb-2004.

Chaoborus phantom midge larva

Projectina Microscope
Objective: 10x macro
Ocular: Wild x10 photo
Substage condenser with top lens removed
DG wheelstop
Sample from DP1 Warnham 19-Feb-2004

Composite of four images stitched together

Chironimid Midge Larva (unidentified species)

Sample from standing rainwater in garden, Dec 2005

Microscope: Zeiss Standard GFL
Objective: Zeiss Plan x1.6 - 5
Ocular: Watson x8 compensating
Camera: Canon Powershot S50
ISO50, F4.9, 1/320 sec
Stack/ Helicon Focus

Microscope: Zeiss Standard GFL
Objective: Zeiss x10 plan achromat
Ocular: Watson x8 compensating
Stack of 60 images/ Helicon Focus
Camera: Canon Powershot S50
ISO 50, F4.9, 1/640 sec

Microscope: Zeiss Standard GFL
Objective: Zeiss x25 Plan Achromat
Ocular: Watson x8 Compensating
Stack of 66 images/Helicon Focus
Camera: Canon Powershot S50
ISO50, F4.9, 1/40 sec

Another Chironimid Midge Larva

Watson Bactil Binocular Microscope
Objective: Watson x10 parachromat
Ocular: Watson x8 compensating
Darkground with substage wheelstop
Sample from garden pond

Immature Springtail (Podura?)

Walking on the water surface film

Wild M8 Microscope
Surface illumination
Sample from dish of rainwater in garden

Dytiscid Beetle

Similar to a Great Diving Beetle, but much smaller at ~1 cm in length

Macro pictures taken using a Canon Powershot S50 with add-on "scrap-box" lens and a 1 cm deep aquarium cell

These insects breathe using a bubble of air trapped under the tips of their wing-cases

Larva of Great Diving Beetle, Dytiscus marginalis

This is a big brute and voracious predator, ~ 6 cm long. The small pink creatures are Daphnia (Warnham Mill pond, July 2004)

Dragonfly Nymph

These are also very fierce amd will attack almost anything that moves

Photographed in the collecting tray at the pondside, Warnham Mill Pond, July 2004

Water Scorpion

Nepa cinerea

Macro pictures taken using a Canon Powershot S50 with add-on "scrap-box" lens and a 1 cm deep aquarium cell

This insect lives amongst weed and is very slow moving. It breathes using the snorkel-like tube at the tip of its abdomen, so must have regular access to the water surface. They are predatory insects and use their forelegs to snatch passing prey, rather like a praying mantis. Length 18 - 22 mm.

 

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