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Biting larvae in water feature #875040

Asked June 27, 2024, 8:12 PM EDT

Good evening, While cleaning the string algae in my tiny water feature, I found numerous sized larvae within the algae along with small snails. I am unable to determine what the larvae is and more importantly what they turn into. Thank you, Randy Whitten

Washington County Oregon

Expert Response

Hi Randy and thanks for your question and great pictures of a  Crane Fly larvae, commonly known as "leatherjackets" due to their tough exoskeleton. They hatch into those huge mosquito-like creatures you see often in summer. They can be a problem in lawns but crows like to hunt them and there are no pesticides registered for them at this time.

They are part of our northwest food chain and do not bite. They feed on rotting vegetation, whether grass clippings or algae, and are among the largest flies in the world. Keep your eyes open for their adult stage and you will enjoy knowing where it came from.

Rhonda Frick-Wright Replied June 28, 2024, 4:45 PM EDT
Sorry, I meant to add this article so you could read more about them.
https://instar.biossys.oregonstate.edu/potato/leatherjacket.pdf
Rhonda
Rhonda Frick-Wright Replied June 28, 2024, 4:46 PM EDT

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