Backswimmers

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Tbsclmail May 20, 2020

I'm curious about "backswimmers". I don't know the technical term, but I included a photo below. This isn't a photo I took, but a photo of the bug I am referring to.

We recently had an above ground pool installed. I've never seen these bugs before, but now we have many of them! We do live near a lake, but the pool is a couple hundred feet from the lake.

My questions are:

1. If we start off with none in the pool and I've never seen these things before, where are they coming from and how do they get in the pool so quickly?

2. Do you have any tips on keeping them out of the pool or getting them out once they are in the pool? We use a skimmer to try and get them, but there are often so many that we can't keep up!

3. My wife learned the hard way last year that they bite! Do they pose any other risks?

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! This place is amazing!

Thumbnail by Tbsclmail
Post #10484357
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Flapdoodle Minot, ND May 20, 2020

Backswimmers are true bugs in the family Notonectidae. They are good fliers, and have no problem traveling a considerable distance; we often find them in our stock tank, which is not close to any other source of open water. Unfortunately, there is no good way of keeping them out of your pool short of enclosing the entire area in mosquito netting. These are predatory, and as your pool likely is a pretty sterile environment, they shouldn't stick around too long. Their 'bite' (more of a stab) can be painful, but it is not dangerous.

Post #10484421
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Tbsclmail May 20, 2020

Thank you so much! Great info. I didn't even know they could fly! When I've dumped them out of our pool filter, they just scurry along the ground, but that could be because they are soaked.

Post #10484539
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Analogue Phoenix, AZ Jun 06, 2020

They are also known as "Toe biters". The bite is very painful! but as flapdoodle said not dangerous (not poisonous as far as I know)

Post #10487324
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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Jun 06, 2020

@Analogue - The term "toe biter" is more accurately associated with giant water bugs (Belostomatidae).

Post #10487336
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