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Identification
Diverse group including water boatmen, pond skaters, and diving beetle larvae found in ponds and water features around aquatic plants.
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Life Cycle
Most overwinter as nymphs or adults in mud or water, breeding in warm months with aquatic larval stages.
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Damage Signs
Larvae of some species chew on submerged and floating plant tissue; large populations can shred leaves of water lilies and pondweed.
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Treatment
Remove by hand-netting during water changes. Encourage fish or amphibians as natural predators. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides near water.
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Prevention
Maintain balanced pond ecosystems with fish and good plant cover to keep populations in check.