Subject: Bugs In My Pool
Location: Westminster, California, U.S.
September 17, 2014 6:24 pm
I have found about 50 of these crazy little bugs in my pool over the last two days and have no desire to swim with them. My best guess is that I can be rid of them by keeping the pool algae free, which has been a problem this summer. In the meantime, what is this bug that lives underwater, moves very slowly on land does not survive outside of the water, swims very quickly in trying to escape my net, and has my wife so freaked out she will not swim in the pool until they are gone?
Thank you,
Signature: Gary
Dear Gary,
This is the aquatic larva of a Dragonfly, commonly called a Naiad, a name shared with other aquatic larvae of flying insects. We are very curious about your pool, which has algae as well as thriving aquatic insect life. Do you not use chlorine or other pool chemicals? Since Dragonfly Naiads are predatory, they need to eat other aquatic creatures, including the larvae of Mosquitoes, hence they are beneficial insects. Dragonfly Naiads are not aggressive toward humans, and they will not hurt you or your wife.