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pond insect larvae identification #870536

Asked May 29, 2024, 3:22 AM EDT

I acquired aquatic utrilcularia two weeks ago (kept indoors in a jar wirh distilled water) and something hatched in the container. Can you help identify this? Mosquitos? Midges? Something else? Kept in a closed container. These are in water.

Adams County Colorado

Expert Response

Hi Allison, 

I can assure you they are not mosquitos nor midges. They most closely resemble dragonfly naiads (their aquatic, juvenile stage). Did you harvest this plant from outdoors? Dragonflies often deposit their eggs inside the stems of aquatic plants. 

A higher resolution image would make me more confident in my ID.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied May 29, 2024, 6:27 PM EDT

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