Hot to get rid of water bugs
Two of the most common mistakes in your pool are the swimmer and the water boatman. These pests are among the aquatic insects classified under the order Hemiptera. The insects are generally not harmful to humans, although the swimmer in particular can deliver a painful bite. Although most insects feed on algae, the swimmer feeds on the water boatman and other insects. None of the bugs can live out of the water for long periods of time, so getting rid of their food supply and nesting places will prevent bugs from living in the pool.
To get rid of water bugs, attack their way of life. Chlorine and shock treatments are not effective in killing them or controlling their population. To eliminate them, one must better understand them and their preferred environments.
Waterboatmen are oval-shaped insects that do not bite. Their food source is algae and tiny aquatic organisms, they eat mosquito larvae and tend to eat small aquatic animals.
Backswimmers have a streamlined body shape and DOES bite (as painful as a horsefly), the backswimmer will surface for air, a supply of which they will carry under their wings and between the fine hairs that cover the lower part of the body.
- both boaters and swimmers can fly.
- both lay eggs on underwater vegetation, in the case of pools, “algae”.
- both can be found in the mud at the bottom of streams, pools, and ponds.
- both NEED to come up for air, if you keep them under water they will drain
- water boatman swim face up; backstroke swimmers swim upside down
The only way to get rid of them is to take away their food supply, for water boatmen their algae, for swimmers their other water critters like water boatmen or water beetles. The first step is to balance the water chemistry, of course removing algae from the sides and bottom of the pool, then adding bleach or hydrogen peroxide to oxidize the algae. Without algae in the pool, bugs can’t and won’t lay their eggs! Copper algaecides, polyquat algaecides, or copper ionization systems are the most effective means of controlling algae. If the algae are not present, then the aquatic insects will not stick around.
If you live in an area with irrigation or areas of standing water, water bugs can migrate. Not only can they fly, they can also crawl. By adding Borax around the pool deck, you reduce the chance of bugs crawling from a ditch or puddle into your pool. But remember, they can fly. This is why it is important to properly balance the chemistry of the water. When they get to your pool and see that there is nothing to eat, they will leave.
If your pool is slipping away and you find water bugs in your pool, here’s a simple treatment. At night, be sure to turn off all exterior lights around your pool. Put a spotlight in the deepest part that illuminates your pool. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of liquid dish soap in the pool where the spotlight shines. Water bugs will come up for air and be drawn to the light. The soap will create a protective barrier on the surface that aquatic insects cannot penetrate and will drain away. Just pick them up the next morning.
I have read on some forums that BioGuard brand backup algaecide tends to work well and is fast acting. This is not a pesticide in any way, however there are reports of insects dying 24 hours after treatment.
Recap: Being proactive and maintaining water chemistry is the most effective way to keep water bugs out of your pool. When a population is established, a liquid dish soap treatment or Back-Up algaecide can be used. Copper-based products are some of the most effective means of preventing/controlling algae.