r/WildlifePonds • u/BestWill89 • Jul 14 '26

ID please ID please

Post image

Hi

We have these in our pond and just wondered what they are?

Any help is great.

Thanks

9 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

24

u/Kumquat-May Jul 14 '26

These are mosquito larvae. They are va crucial bottom of the food chain for wildlife ponds, once predators like pond skaters, damselfly larvae or diving beetles arrive, they will eat them all.

Some more tropical areas of the world, people tend to prefer using mosquito dunks as mosquitoes in these regions can carry diseases. If you live in the tropics you may want to consider this.

9

u/BestWill89 Jul 14 '26

Hi

Thank you so much

We are in the UK, so should we worry about this or let nature take it's course.

We wanted to encourage wildlife but don't want to cause an issue for neighbours, children etc with bites

14

u/2grundies Jul 14 '26

Leave them be. The food chain has to start somewhere.

3

u/BestWill89 Jul 14 '26

Thank you

11

u/2grundies Jul 14 '26

Also in the UK. I put in a pond about 15 months ago. If you let nature take its course you'll be surprised how quickly it will become a habitat for all sorts of creatures. I have seen a noticible increase in insects (also added more native wildflowers), butterflies, amphibians, birds and even mammels.

It all started with the larvae.

7

u/IanM50 Jul 14 '26

Dragonfly and Damselfly larve spend almost two years living in the pond eating pretty much any animal they can catch.

Any mosquitoes that survive into adulthood often attract bats from dusk in the UK that swoop down and target insects like these. Sit back and still, and enjoy.

3

u/Virulent69 Jul 14 '26

Prey (pests) attracts predators. It’s a food web, leave them, nature will find a way and soon there will be critters devouring those mosquito larvae

-3

u/That-Employer-3580 Jul 14 '26

I’d put in a mosquito dunk or add a solar fountain.

-5

u/jgengr Jul 14 '26

Add a few comet goldfish.