''Chironomus plumosus'', also known as the buzzer midge, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
nonbiting midge (Chironomidae) that occurs throughout areas in the
Northern Hemisphere.
Description
Adult
Adults are pale green with brown legs and grow to . Males have feathery
antennae, while females' antennae are sleek. A dark brown band is seen at the end of each abdominal segment. Adults of the
sibling species
In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...
''C. muratensis'' and ''C. nudiventris'' cannot be distinguished from ''C. plumosus'' based on morphological characters.
Immature
The
larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
...
e are called bloodworms because some larvae are bright red, but they can also be found in brown and almost black. When the larva pupate, they drift towards the surface, making them vulnerable to many types of fish. Other common predators include the
common backswimmer (''Notonecta glauca''),
common pondskater (''Gerris lacustris''),
common toad
The common toad, European toad, or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the toad (''Bufo bufo'', from Latin ''bufo'' "toad"), is a frog found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, and some Mediterranean islands), in ...
(''Bufo bufo''),
lesser water boatman (''Corixa punctata''),
dragonflies
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threa ...
,
damselflies,
great crested newt
The northern crested newt, great crested newt or warty newt (''Triturus cristatus'') is a newt species native to Great Britain, northern and central continental Europe and parts of Western Siberia. It is a large newt, with females growing up to ...
(''Triturus cristatus''),
great diving beetle (''Dytiscus marginalis''),
redstart (''Phoenicurus phoenicurus''),
smooth newt (''Triturus vulgaris''),
water scorpion
Nepidae is a family of exclusively aquatic Heteropteran insects in the order Hemiptera. They are commonly called water scorpions for their superficial resemblance to scorpions, due to their raptorial forelegs and the presence of a long slender p ...
(''Nepa cinerea'') and other midges such as ''
Anatopynia plumipes''.
Lifecycle
During the spring and summer, males create mating swarms which people can find quite a nuisance, though adults do not bite or feed. Females lay egg masses in water where the egg mass will grow and sink to the bottom. The larvae stay at the bottom in silken tubes.
The larvae feed on organic material such as organic debris and algae.
References
External links
BioLib
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4304965
Chironomidae
Insects of the United States
Diptera of North America
Flies described in 1758
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus