Topic: Waterboatmen

[tubs]

Any one know what they live on in the pond?
Where do they come from initially?

[Margaret]

Hello tubs.Nasty little critters ,these are.They can fly,so that is why they suddenly appear.There are three types,but the most common is known as the backswimmer,as they swim upside down and can dive down in seconds.They predate on all insects and young tadpoles,newts and fish.I tend to remove them if i find them as they could breed rapidly and empty your pond of all life.The same goes for the Great Diving Beetle and the Dragonfly larvae. People say to me.......they are part of nature so leave them alone,but I believe that amphibians need every bit of help we can give them.It is a bit like saying rats and mice,and even greenfly! are only part of the chain of life!!

[tubs]

Thankyou Margaret,
My pond was full of them last year. I have just noticed some about again after the winter, now I don't know how to net them out with an abundant small tadpole population. (I could now lose them). The pond is going through its 'green' stage so can't see 'owt anyway.
Do boatmen have predators I wonder?

[Muddy_Boots]

Margaret,

I have a question here which I have never been able to get to bottom of.  Are water boatmen different from pond skimmers?  I have a feeling they are but am not sure.  On my pond I think I had skimmers and certainly had no probs with the pond, not even when I had dragonfly emerging from second stage but just don't know enough.  It was my first pond and only experience at the time, all thru books, not thru experience.  (my only other water feature was not pond).

also, another question, sorry full of them at the moment, am I right in thinking that ramshorn snails are the only ones you should introduce and that the round ones cause more probs?

as you can tell, am already planning my next pond!  :D

[eileen]

Hi MB,

Poking my nose in on this one.....

Waterboatmen look similar to beetles with large oar-like legs and  live in the water. Pondskimmers (or as I call them pondskaters) look like daddy- long - legs and 'walk' on the surface of the water.

My pondskaters caught one of my Large Red Damselflies last year and 'rafted' around it on the water's surface to eat it. Nasty!! Better not try it again this year or they'll find themselves homeless.  >:(

I have ramshorn snails in my ponds and have no problems with them. I haven't tried to introduce any other types but I have heard that the round ones can be a bit of a pain.

Eileen.

[Muddy_Boots]

poke nose in as much as you like eileen!  Was asking for info.  I never had any probs with pond skimmers tho had a lot.  Did have probs with other snails other than ramshorns tho!  But, at the end of the day, have to say pond was great success, seemed I managed most probs in first and only season!  Tee hee, hope makes others realise trial and error is not a bad way to go!  ;D