Rain barrels offer many advantages in the garden and a small swimming pool increases the recreational value. But uninvited guests can nest in the water. With our tips you can quickly get rid of the fly larvae without disturbing the ecological balance.
Which fly larvae live in water?
In the water you can mainly find therat tail larvae of hoverflies(Syrphidae) as well as the cylindricalcaterpillars of biting flies (horseflies, Tabanidae). Real fly larvae, on the other hand, develop exclusively in decomposing organic material.
What do fly larvae living in water look like?
hoverfly larvaecan be recognized by theirtubular,telescopically extendablerespiratory organ at the end of the body. This allows the rat tail larvae to breathe underwater, like with a snorkel. The larvae are very resilient. They are mainly found in heavily polluted puddles and even in cesspools.
Gadfly larvae also develop in water, where they feed on suspended matter from dead animals and plants. They are spindle-shaped, whitish-brown in color and have segmented creeping ridges.
What helps against fly larvae living in water?
You can get
fly larvae byskimmingof theegg packetsandlarvaewith a fine meshLanding net remove. If there are fly larvae in the swimming pool, further development can be counteracted by adding chlorine.
- To prevent fly larvae from developing in the water, you can cover the surface of the water.
- If there are a lot of fly larvae swimming in the rain barrel, for example, it is advisable to empty it completely.
Tip
Do not protect garden ponds from fly larvae
Garden ponds should not be covered, even if fly larvae are occasionally found there. If there is an ecological balance in the small body of water, these are eaten by the aquatic inhabitants, so that only a few flies hatch. If the larvae still get out of hand, you can add special tablets to the pond. These contain natural proteins that are deadly to fly and mosquito larvae.
