got water? Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Attn: anyone, We have these bugs in the pool some small some big they have fins not wings and swim at us and bite, any ideas what thay may be or how thay got there???? or how to get rid of them. Thanks Nancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolexor Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Can you post a picture of one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Fins? I think that would quaiify them as fish You may want to talk to a local exterminator if its a big problem. There may be a nest or hive around, or you could have an infestation. At the very least, they should be able to identify them. As Rolexor said, if you can post a pic that would very helpful. What part of the country are you in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIYTech Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 I just want to see a pic of that. I have never seen a bug with fins. I know some water bugs have like paddles for hind legs. But I have never heard of them biting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfgang Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 I just want to see a pic of that. I have never seen a bug with fins. I know some water bugs have like paddles for hind legs. But I have never heard of them biting. do a yahoo image search for "boatman" and let us know if that's what you have??? Supposedly they don't bite or sting. I"ve got them on our pool and they're pretty harmless. They come and go, not much you can do but at the same time, they really don't cause any problems. Here...do they look like this? If not, does anyone else have these? I do! Water boatmen are aquatic bugs that have the hindlegs adapted as paddles for swimming. They are flattened and swim the right side up whereas the similar looking backswimmers (Notonectidae) and deep-bodied, have a keel-shaped back, and swim on their backs. Water boatmen are mainly predaceous on small insect larvae but some species can also feed on algae and on minute organisms such as rotifers and diatoms. They have wings and can leap out of the water and take flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvlittlejohn Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 I have the same bugs in my pool. they are called boatman or back swimmers and they do bite. my wife has a very painful red welt on her foot from one. i searched around and found that these bugs fly from water source to water source. shocking apool will only kill the young ones. they seem to be able to survive in water at 2ppm. Some one suggested a 1/4 cup of DAWN dish liquid and an algicide called BACK UP by bioguard. i haven't tried it yet, but if anyone else has a solution i'm all ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 I have the same bugs in my pool. they are called boatman or back swimmers and they do bite. my wife has a very painful red welt on her foot from one. i searched around and found that these bugs fly from water source to water source. shocking apool will only kill the young ones. they seem to be able to survive in water at 2ppm. Some one suggested a 1/4 cup of DAWN dish liquid and an algicide called BACK UP by bioguard. i haven't tried it yet, but if anyone else has a solution i'm all ears. I never heard of adding Dawn dishwasher detergent to a pool. Wouldn't that create a lot of bubbles, and wouldn't the phosphates induce aglie (or is that why you would mix it with an agleicide?). Also comercial soaps have dyes, and sents added, stuff that just can't be good for water chemistry. I'd hold off on the detergent until someone who has a bit more expereince in this area can chime in. Another poster waterbear that was around a while ago seemed to have a better understanding of water chemistry, perhaps if he is stil around he could give his opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Silvester Posted February 24, 2007 Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 Hi, I see these little buggers all the time...They usually jump in when the chlorine is low. The best way to rid them is to shock your pool with chlorine and add a strong algaecide. Keep the chlorine levels at 4-5ppm for 10 days. 1. the shock will kill the young ones 2. Algaecide makes it uncomfortable for the adults Make sure you keep the chlorine at 4-5ppm for the 10 days. The little buggers will either die or leave. Try it...It works every time! Regards, Michael Silvester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 I never heard of adding Dawn dishwasher detergent to a pool. Wouldn't that create a lot of bubbles, and wouldn't the phosphates induce aglie (or is that why you would mix it with an agleicide?). Also comercial soaps have dyes, and sents added, stuff that just can't be good for water chemistry. I'd hold off on the detergent until someone who has a bit more expereince in this area can chime in. Another poster waterbear that was around a while ago seemed to have a better understanding of water chemistry, perhaps if he is stil around he could give his opinion? Thye Dawn would reduce the surfact tension of the water and the bugs would not be able to 'walk' on the water surface and would sink and drown. However I would not suggest adding Dawn to your pool unless you want a bubble bath. You can achieve the same results with tile soap squirted across the surface of the water. Tile soap is very low foaming. Bioguard Back Up is a linear quaterinary algaecide. The quatinary compounds are a class of detergent known as cationic surfactants. I am assuming it would also reduce the surface tension of the water and cause the bugs to sink and drown, especially in conjunction with another wetting agent such as tile soap. Be aware that linear quats are the type of algaecides that foam so they might not be much better than using Dawn! I'm still around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rklesla Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Bugs need food to survive, so I'd start with what they are eating and kill that first. You might have some algae their feeding on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itabb Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 It seems the boatmen eat algae. No algae, no boatmen. The backswimmers (greater boatmen?) are preditors and eat other bugs and small fish and people's fingers. They're attracted to light, so put up a bright light away from the pool all night and see if they die around the light. Keep your pool light off. If you can cover your pool, they might drown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valvestem Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 It seems the boatmen eat algae. No algae, no boatmen. The backswimmers (greater boatmen?) are preditors and eat other bugs and small fish and people's fingers. They're attracted to light, so put up a bright light away from the pool all night and see if they die around the light. Keep your pool light off. If you can cover your pool, they might drown. I usually have one or two swimming bugs in my pool water upon opening in the spring, they usually swim away from any human. The skimmer usually gets them eventually. The water skates are welcome to use the pool anytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valvestem Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 It seems the boatmen eat algae. No algae, no boatmen. The backswimmers (greater boatmen?) are preditors and eat other bugs and small fish and people's fingers. They're attracted to light, so put up a bright light away from the pool all night and see if they die around the light. Keep your pool light off. If you can cover your pool, they might drown. I usually have one or two swimming bugs in my pool water upon opening in the spring, they usually swim away from any human. The skimmer usually gets them eventually. The water skates are welcome to use the pool anytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.