Black Bugs In Pool

[Robert3688]

I live in southeast TX and have little, fast, black bugs in my pool, is there any thing I can put in the pool to kill them?

[polyvue]

I live in southeast TX and have little, fast, black bugs in my pool, is there any thing I can put in the pool to kill them?

If you're thinking pesticide, no. Not much you can do about flying insects bombarding your pool water without adding to the chlorine's oxidation burden and/or introducing a hazardous substance that may affect you and your guests' health. If the bugs are of a species that will persist throughout the swim season, you may be able to reduce their numbers by changing the environment -- remove nearby shade trees, flowers, plant beds, sprinklers, weed growth and other potential nesting sites. Bugs that crawl may be dissuaded by barriers or chemical substances (borax) sprinkled around the deck perimeter. (Don't use poisons if there are pets or native wildlife in the area, or high winds.)

Keep a solar cover on the pool/spa and turn the pool lights and water features off except when swimming. Use a leaf rake to net any bugs swimming without a signed consent form. Turn off area and patio lights to discourage winged insects. Remove all nearby fresh water sources. Introduce predators (or not). Surround every side of your pool with a Florida bird-cage -- a screened enclosure. Bug-proof each section of screen with no-seeum netting.

Or do what I do (involuntarily) during summer evening bike rides: eat them.