# Little brown worms on top of rocks in pond



## Tirral (9 May 2020)

Hello everyone, 

Does anyone know what these little brown worms are. They are about 5-10mm long and are crawling on a rock that just protrudes out of the water so remains damp.

Thanks




Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk


----------



## zozo (9 May 2020)

I have seen them too in my Daphnia tubs, it's some kinda fly maggot I guess...  I was never able to ID them...


----------



## dw1305 (9 May 2020)

Hi all, 





zozo said:


> it's some kinda fly maggot I guess...


Yes they are Midge larvae. 

cheers Darrel


----------



## Tirral (11 May 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all, Yes they are Midge larvae.
> 
> cheers Darrel


They aren't the mosquito larvae as I know them. These just sit on the rocks still bearly moving unlike the larvae that squiggle across the water.

Thanks

Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk


----------



## dw1305 (11 May 2020)

Hi all, 





Tirral said:


> They aren't the mosquito larvae as I know them. These just sit on the rocks still bearly moving unlike the larvae that squiggle across the water.


Yes, there are loads of "Midge" larvae that aren't the <"Mosquito larvae">  that we are familiar with.

Even people who survey freshwater invertebrates often lump the fly (Diptera) larvae into fairly broad categories, because they aren't easy to get a definitive ID on.

You get Biting midges (<"Ceratopogonidae>"), which have very small, "squiggly" larvae, Non-Biting Midges (<"Chironomidae">) the larvae of which are "Bloodworms",  Glassworms (<"Chaoboridae">), Black-Flies (<"Simuliidae">) which attach to rocks in running water etc. 

Have a look at <"Key to the larval stages of aquatic true flies (Diptera), ......">, it has a lot of drawings that might allow you to identify the right  area.

cheers Darrel


----------



## dw1305 (11 May 2020)

Hi all, 
The Owl Midges (Psychodidae) look promising. This is from  <"Diptera.info">.





cheers Darrel


----------



## Tirral (11 May 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> The Owl Midges (Psychodidae) look promising. This is from .
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you for your helpful information. I will do some more searching. Thanks

Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk


----------

