Pond Creatures

I recently read a section in Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study on Insects of the Brook and Pond (p. 400). And there's a lesson in there (lesson 102) on how to make an aquarium. Not the kind with tropical fish and coral, the kind with aquatic insects that you catch yourself and sustain with aquatic plants and pond water.

So we headed down the road to the creek, which has standing water in places, and on the way we saw this gorgeous Gulf Fritillary. Its colors were irridescent and just beautiful to see.



Here is what is looks like from above. It was sunning itself right in the middle of the path. It's amazing how different their coloring can be inside and out. My 6 year old son was grumbling about how he just wants to go! while I was getting this shot :) He doesn't appreciate my blogging just yet.



We got to the section of the creek where we saw the dragonfly laying eggs and collected some water plants and pond water and used a small tea strainer we had handy (for lack of a better tool at this time) to catch something - anything. Don't worry, we won't use it for tea anymore :) We really had no idea what we'd get except maybe a dragonfly nymph or a waterboatmen since we'd seen those before.



I found this clear gooey stuff on a water plant I collected. I think it's some sort of an egg sack, it has a lot of little speckles in it. I wonder what they are.




And here's a video of some little insects that we collected. They look metallic and are hard when you pick them up as if they have a shell of some sort. They're very quick and fun to watch.



I looked back in the Handbook of Nature study when I got home. Can you guess which one these insects are?




I checked number 14 first, the whirligig beetle. Its name and description sounded right:

One may see companies of these bluish-black, flattened beetles whirling about over the surface of brooks or ponds. Their eyes are divided in such a manner as to appear as four eyes - two looking into the water and two looking into the air.

Then I Googled whirligig beetle and found this video that confirmed it. Mission accomplished! Can't wait to show my kids the video.