Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Mystery Critter Part II - Image now inserted

Sorry for not doing the image thing correctly the first time...

Can anyone ID this critter for me? It was attached to a bluegill I was using for bait in my 20-acre pond 1 hour east of Dallas. About 1 inch long.

Thanks.

Blood worm?

I'll bet Bill Cody knows what it is, I snagged some very similar looking citters last summer at public lake while trolling crankbaits for flatheads.

i BET ITS A RED WIGGLY THINGY

Looks like a midge fly larvae - aka bloodworm. Great food source for fish! They have hemoglobin making them red and can exist in very low oxygen conditions on the bottom of your pond. The midge fly lay thier eggs on the water surface - then they sink to the bottom where they grow until ready to emerge as midge fly or "no see-ums" also called blind mosquitos. If you have low oxygen on the bottom of your pond, these guys can become a serious nuisance because of lack of predation and competition. They will emerge in swarms and can ruin outdoor activities, create breathing problems and will swarm lights and windows. They cause big problems! They can be controlled through chemicals and we have also done research showing aeration helps control their populations. If you do have decent DO levels down on the bottom of your pond, then they are probably not a problem and just another snack for your fish. I personally buy them frozen at the pet store to feed my turtles and fish at home.

Great news. Thanks!

See if this helps .

http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/biodiversity/invert/midges.html

Sue and ewest have the name correct. This particular one is just one specie of midge (Chironomid) that has numerous genera containing many species. Individuals of the midge family (Chironomidae) inhabit all sorts of waters from polluted oxygen poor to very clean pristine mountain brooks. Midges inhabit all sorts of wet spots including gutters, bird baths and buckets of aged water. Adults resemble mosquitos but without the piercing mouth part. Contrary to what Sue said "..midge fly lay thier eggs on the water shoreline.." Adults lay eggs on the water surface, it does not have to be near shore. Planktonic eggs sacs hatch quickly and the young midge larvae settle to the bottom. Most midge larvae on the bottom construct some sort of temporary case or tube where they hide and feed while the larva grows larger until it pupates into the adult. Adult midges often fly in swarms. Knowledgable reseachers can usually recognize or identify various water quality conditions by identifying the midges present or that were present as in paleoeological studies using sediment cores. Some species are restricted as to where they can live or the conditions, similar to trout and carp.

Not all midges cause problems. Just a few species are troublesome. Midges as a group are valuable in processing the organics of ponds and lakes and they are a valuable fish food and are contributors of a large percentage of the food chain for a pond. Their numbers can easily be several thousand per square yard on pond underwater surfaces. A lot of midges (not the red ones) live on submerged plant leaves, stems and other solid underwater surfaces.