Summertime is pool time - fun, refreshment and relaxation during the summer heat. If only there weren't those annoying water beetles... While some people don't even notice them and get along with their presence, others would like to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Do you belong to the second group?
The so-called rowing bugs (Dotted corixa) are among those insects that are constant visitors to our swimming pools - at least when the right conditions are present. What can you do if you have rowing bugs in your pool?
How to recognize water bugs
The water cicada, as it is also called (we'll explain why later), lives in stagnant water. These can not only be ponds, but also ponds, for example, or ponds.
The insects are only half a centimeter to a centimeter long, with the body being flat, as is typical for bedbugs. The back is patterned like a net, while the belly is covered with hairs. The hind legs are very characteristic and are also hairy so that they can be used as rudders.
Fun Fact:
The air bubbles that the insects carry with them when diving always strive upwards. The bugs have to fight against this and therefore when they are at rest they cling to algae and other things. If you let go, their low body weight will force them upwards at such a high speed that they will be thrown out of the water.
The insects also use this trick intentionally, because once they have been catapulted into the air, they can immediately use their wings and save themselves the hassle of crawling out of the water.
The bladder, which is located under their wings, is intended to make diving easier by ensuring good posture.
The alternative name “cicada” comes from the fact that the males, like cicadas, chirp with their little legs by brushing them over their heads.
The insects are in no way dangerous. They retreat when you swim in the water and don't bite.
The food on offer attracts the animals
Rowing bugs feed on algae. Depending on what is available, they either eat the detritus algae directly or, if there is not enough of it, other types of algae, which they suck out thanks to their trunk.
If there are rowing bugs in the pool, it simply means that there is also food. In other words, there is a good supply of algae in your swimming pool. And this is the key to getting rid of the bugs.
It is therefore important to remove the algae, because if the waterhopper has nothing to eat, it will look for another place. Logical, right? So your solution is to clean the pool thoroughly.
- Start with the bottom: Vacuum thoroughly to remove mud and algae, as well as other loose materials.
- Scrub the pool surfaces. Algae attach themselves to them and can only be removed in this way.
- Chlorine is necessary for smaller residues that you have not gotten rid of by vacuuming and scrubbing. But instead of using the usual amount, double it so that all the algae are destroyed. You add the chemicals to the pool in the evening when no one will be using it anymore. The chlorine can then work in peace overnight. From now on, let the pump run continuously for at least 2 to 3 days.
- Test the quality of the water with an electronic water tester. It is optimal for:
– Alkalinity: 80-120 mg/l
– pH value: 7.2 and 7.6
– Water hardness: 200-400 mg/l - You can run a skimmer that can catch floating rowing bugs and other swimming bugs too.
