Water bugs... what are they?

[scottdog123]

Hi,

I've been following the TFP method daily for months nows, water is clear, no algae.. anyway, I find from time to time these little swimming water bugs in my pool. Seems at times there are outbreaks. I've also seen then in neighbors pools that are "professionally maintained".

Can anybody identify them?

Do they bit or sting?

How can I prevent them?

thank you!

 

[splashpad]

FC needs to be raised, can you post full set of test results, please?

And yes they bite!

 

[RonsPlc]

I get 1 (one) backswimmer EVERY year!
It doesn't seem to mind the chlorine level at all... as I have tried raising my chlorine level to just under shock for a week to evict him without any luck.
And YES! they DO bite/sting, and it HURTS! I caught him with my hand, and won't do that again. As long as I leave him alone, he doesn't bother me.

 

[splashpad]

I get 1 (one) backswimmer EVERY year!
It doesn't seem to mind the chlorine level at all... as I have tried raising my chlorine level to just under shock for a week to evict him without any luck.
And YES! they DO bite/sting, and it HURTS! I caught him with my hand, and won't do that again. As long as I leave him alone, he doesn't bother me.

LOL! Hmm, I remember them in ponds growing up, wonder where your intruder comes from?

 

[rajung]

Every year there is a period where we get them, at the most 3 or 4 at one time for a couple weeks.
Never been bit, they usually dive deeper down when you get near them or fly away.

 

[Casey]

I always have a handful through the summer too. Those buggers hurt when they bite!

 

[RonsPlc]

Honestly, I am thinking of naming him. After all, he has been there as long as I have had a pool!

Backswimmers will usually stay close to the surface, and feed on insects.

Water Boatmen like to dive down, and are an indication that you have algae, (they eat it), and should do a SLAM to kill it.

Backswimmers will bite/sting you if you grab hold of them, whereas Water Boatmen won't.

 

[Mendy48]

OMG...they sting??? Bite??? and it hurts? I live in MI and I don't know if I've ever seen that before. I'm now going to start checking my pool very closely. I'll probably let out a huge scream if I see a butterfly in my pool now. Are these "creatures" in all States????

 

[RonsPlc]

OMG...they sting??? Bite??? and it hurts? I live in MI and I don't know if I've ever seen that before. I'm now going to start checking my pool very closely. I'll probably let out a huge scream if I see a butterfly in my pool now. Are these "creatures" in all States????

yes, every state has them... even Canada, so skipping north of the border won't save you! lol

They will only bite if you actually manage to grab hold of one. Otherwise, they will try to avoid you while you are in the pool.

 

[scottdog123]

FC needs to be raised, can you post full set of test results, please?

And yes they bite!

Thanks, here’s my test results:

FC: 4
PH: 7.4
TA: 65
CH: 280
CYA: 35

 

[splashpad]

Thanks, here’s my test results:

FC: 4
PH: 7.4
TA: 65
CH: 280
CYA: 35

Thanks! I would definitely suggest raising the FC to maintain 7 (per [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] for CYA/40 (you round to the higher # if dot disappears in-between lines)

 

[scottdog123]

Thanks! I would definitely suggest raising the FC to maintain 7 (per [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] for CYA/40 (you round to the higher # if dot disappears in-between lines)

I’ll give that a try. From reading some of the earlier comments, raising the chlorine and killing all algae will remove the food for the “Water Boatmen”, but the “Backswimmers” feed of insects. Sounds like there is nothing you can do for “Backswimmers” except fish them out with the net and smash them (with your foot not hand).

Also if all my neighbors have Backswimmers seems, and they can fly, they can make their way to my pool.

Any chemicals that kill or detract these things?

I’ve heard that agaecides can help (like this one)
https://www.poolgeek.com/products/bioguard-back-up-2-algaecide
But if my chlorine levels are good, I should not have algae.

BTW - I found this article that gives a pretty good description of Backswimmers vs. Boatmen:

http://bugeric.blogspot.com/2014/06/backswimmer-or-water-boatman.html?m=1

 

[splashpad]

I’ll give that a try. From reading some of the earlier comments, raising the chlorine and killing all algae will remove the food for the “Water Boatmen”, but the “Backswimmers” feed of insects. Sounds like there is nothing you can do for “Backswimmers” except fish them out with the net and smash them (with your foot not hand).

Also if all my neighbors have Backswimmers seems, and they can fly, they can make their way to my pool.

Any chemicals that kill or detract these things?

I’ve heard that agaecides can help (like this one)
https://www.poolgeek.com/products/bioguard-back-up-2-algaecide
But if my chlorine levels are good, I should not have algae.

BTW - I found this article that gives a pretty good description of Backswimmers vs. Boatmen:

http://bugeric.blogspot.com/2014/06/backswimmer-or-water-boatman.html?m=1

I'm thinking that with a higher maintenance FC level, the water will hopefully be less desirable to them

 

[Aleforge]

I have similar bugs but they are shiny black and have two noticeable "segments" (if that makes sense). Not sure if anyone knows what that is but I get a bunch of them and it's gross (lol).

 

[Serious1]

I put boatman/backswimmers in a bucket with some water & a few drops of baby oil in it and it kills them. I've put them in straight chlorine in a bucket and they swim around like it's nothing. I only get a few a year and they're hard to catch.

 

[afbatts]

I was having the same problem with these things. Cajun Guy Recommended the Back up 2 and when I got up this morning they were all dead on the pool floor. I to do not have an algae problem but apparently something in this stuff puts them down. It does foam some, so I was reading another post I believe it was chemgeek that recommended Polyquat 60 I think so I may try that one as he metioned it doesn't foam like the Backup2.

I’ll give that a try. From reading some of the earlier comments, raising the chlorine and killing all algae will remove the food for the “Water Boatmen”, but the “Backswimmers” feed of insects. Sounds like there is nothing you can do for “Backswimmers” except fish them out with the net and smash them (with your foot not hand).

Also if all my neighbors have Backswimmers seems, and they can fly, they can make their way to my pool.

Any chemicals that kill or detract these things?

I’ve heard that agaecides can help (like this one)
https://www.poolgeek.com/products/bioguard-back-up-2-algaecide
But if my chlorine levels are good, I should not have algae.

BTW - I found this article that gives a pretty good description of Backswimmers vs. Boatmen:

http://bugeric.blogspot.com/2014/06/backswimmer-or-water-boatman.html?m=1

 

[CajunGuy]

I've dealt with and have extensive experience with water bugs (backswimmers, boatman) like afbatts mentioned. I check and balance my water religiously and maintain/sustain my CYA and FC levels. I've actually sustained my FC levels over 10+ to experiment with killing water bugs. My pool is kept crystal clear, CC is always 0. I do not have an algae problem whatsoever, but here in South Louisiana I ALWAYS get waterbugs (mainly backswimmers, and a couple boatman) around the end of May/beginning of June. Here is my opinion on the matter:

Even with maintaining extremely high chlorine levels, scrubbing diligently, CC levels of 0, and absolutely no algae problems...THEY WILL NOT DIE by these methods alone!

There is only ONE WAY to effectively kill them and that is to DROWN THEM! You MUST take away there means to live which is coming up and breaking the surface of the pool to get air/oxygen, thus suffocating and drowning them. These bugs can and will live even without having algae to consume/eat (remember they eat other bugs too, so they don't need algae to survive). That is why even having no algae and high FC levels won't work. Take my advice, I've tried everything in the past and drowning them is the only method that works.

This leads me to my next and final piece of advice. I've tried all different brands of polyquat algaecides and there is only ONE product so far on the market that works...that is Bioguard Backup 2! Whatever chemical that is in the Backup 2 (which is why I think it foams) is also the reason why it is the only one that works. It creates a barrier on the surface of the pool that the bugs can't get through to break the surface and get air, which is why they drown and die within only a short period of time (usually only a few hours). All the other algaecides I have tried don't foam and have no effect on the water bugs because they can still break the surface. One important thing to note is that I recommend pouring the whole bottle in the pool (around the entire perimeter of the pool) for it to work best. My pool is about 15k gallons and I can pour a bottle in before work and when I come home they are all dead at the bottom of the pool. Your pump/filter needs to be running when you pour it in. And no, it won't hurt anything by pouring the whole bottle in. Only minor drawback is that you will have a little bubbling from your water features, but in my opinion that is well worth the trade of not having a single bug in your pool...plus you also have an effective algaecide working too now.