Mysterious biting creature
TMJH
my farm pond and we haven't a clue as to what it is. Need help identifiying
source and cures. This farm pond is about 2/3 of an acre, sourced by streams
leading from springs. We built it about 40 years ago and never stocked it but
it has attracted its own inhabitants. It is home to muskrats, frogs, perch,
sunnies, catfish; an occasional watersnake (though they generally flee down
below the dam when sighted); at least one snapping turtle ( they've spread here
the last two years I think). There may be a few large trout thrown in by
neighbor's son. It sounds like a lot but generally until last summer there had
been peace among the inhabitatants.
There have been three incidents; in one, my daughter was bitten between
her toes; it bled and then almost immediately grew infected, blue streaks
spreading out -- we had to take her to the emergency room. A second time, a
man was wading and was bitten on the thigh. He described it as a substantial
thump or pinch and it broke the skin; a third time a swimmer was in the water
and felt a buzz like a jellyfish sting and when he turned the skin was broken
and there seemed to be a puncture wound.
The foot wound I'm assuming would be a catfish; the others I'm at a loss
to explain. Might a neighbor have emptied something from an aquarium that
would live? Is it possible that a pond can become so densely populated that
all creatures get more aggressive. Does anybody know someone in Eastern Pa.
who expert in these sorts of things or in drawing down ponds? We hate all
this. My wife is about to nuke the poor pond. All help would be appreciated.
Tom in Pa.
K30a
Tom!
What a mystery!
If you don't get an answer here try posting to misc.rural.
Many posters on the misc.rural internet group keep large
natural ponds and may be able to tell you what you have.
While you are there ask if anyone knows how to join the
list that communicates via email about large, natural ponds.
I am on that list but darned if I remember how I got there ;-)
I think it is a OneList group. I went through my short file of stored mail and
I don't have one tucked in there.
Good luck and let us know what you find out if you get an answer from a
different source.
k30 and the water gardening labradors
REC.PONDS INFORMAL FAQ PAGE
http://hometown.aol.com/k30a/myhomepage/writing.html
Steve Gant
other. Sorry I can't be more definite; I have a birthday party in Fresno, so
I can't research it now.
Steve
Manteca, California
TMJH <tm...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19990709122159...@ng-fr1.aol.com...
TMJH
bite. I also wonder if the behavior of juvenile snappers of watersnakes or
even muskrats ever gets super aggressive. I will try Misc. Rural.
Tom
Ph8drus
I grew up in the country muskrats are kinda mean when corneredbut gennerally
they get out of the way. could an erstwhile fisherman have donated you a
hellbender now they are mean s.o.b.'s
TMJH
east....? They attack passing swimmers? I wonder... Would it be likely to
survive winters?
Thanks,
Tom
tabbykat
that sounds familiar steve, I remember Brett mentioning something that bit
pretty painfully while they were working in his ponds.
perhaps he can confirm?
-laurie
TMJH
what it likely isn't. One animal expert says a hellbender would hide;
backswimmers bite through the skin, but barely; a turtle would probably make
himself pretty plain banging heads against you, and a snake would leave a
characteristic biting pattern, (I think, two or three puncture wounds, not just
one). Where that leaves us, I'm not sure. Perch have a mouthful of teeth, but
no one yet is entirely sure whether they would use them or not. There is
something called an electric catfish, I think and that's a candidate -- but how
it would have gotten there isn't clear. Giant water bugs may also be
candidates. Thanks to all so far who've ventured thoughts,.
Tom in Pa.
KenCo
>
> Pirahna?
1)if a piranha bites you it would leave a deep chunk hole,not just a
single bite mark.
a 6" Piranha will make a bite hole about the size of a penny.(US coins)
a 10" Piranha will make a hole that a quarter can fit in.
2)there is no,repete no documented reports of Piranhas ever attacking
people
unless trying to net them (wild collections) etc..
3)Piranhas make great pets,very friendly unless mistreated and
they will run from you unless cornered.
they are a very smart fish compared to most others,they can even
interact w/ you.
4)some idiot probably let an elec. cat or a stingray loose :(
they will sting w/ 1 mark and hurts like hell.
--
Ken Arnold, ICQ # 1028648
KenCo Fish & Supplies Pond and Aquarium fish,
Shipping plants/fish etc. a specialty
Imported & domestic Koi,Goldfish,Orandas,
Tropicals,exotics, Piranhas etc.
http://www.kencofish.com mailto:ke...@kencofish.com
mikepatt...@spammindspring.com
brett rowley
tm...@aol.com (TMJH) wrote:
I read the thread awhile back, had me bamboozled. Reminds me of something, though. My kids
always find something else to be doing, like wash the dishes, rake the leaves in the drive, or
clean up thier rooms when they hear me say, "That reminds me of something..."
For quite awhile, years, actually, we had a similar puzzle at the fish hatchery where I worked.
Every now and again, especially while draining a pond and working around the drain, or seining a
pond being drained, somebody would begin to hop around and holler. Something had bitten them.
Much worse than an ant sting, lord knows everybody around here knows how they feel. This
was much more like a yellow jacket sting. And a small red spot where it looked like something
had bitten or stung the unfortunate victim (sometimes me) would be left. The sting, intense as
it was, would quickly abate, hurt like hell, like a wasp sting for five minutes, then go away.
We came up with a name for the unknown creature "Fire bug". "Ow", you'd hear somebody holler,
"fire bug got me." Soon as the poor person had been bit (or stung), the search would be on, no
matter the fish being worked, or the drain being kept unstopped, find that damn bug and find out
what it is. For the longest time, no firebug could be found.
One day, summertime, while seining tilapias, one of the guys got bit by the firebug in his
wading shoe. Thinking fast, I clamped my wrist around the top of the shoe, trapping the firebug
inside the worker's shoe, where it bit time and again. The poor worker, also wanting to see the
dreaded firebug, tolerated this, in the name of science. We got up on the bank and eased the
worker's foot out of the shoe, watching close for any bugs. Being satisfied the bug was still
in the shoe, we rinsed the shoe out into a bucket. Found the damn thing, too!
It turned out to be the aquatic equivalent of a very small stink bug (shield bug). Less than
1/4 inch long, bright green, with a brilliant red dot in the middle of the back of the shield.
Hard for us to beleive this dimunitive Hemipteran was the source of so much pain. Since that
landmark day many years ago, we have managed to establish that was indeed the critter
responsible. We still get bit by the firebug, but at least now we know what it is that is
biting us.
Other (small) stuff that bites us regularly includes whirly gig beetles, giant whirly gig
beetles, blood worms, fire ants, backswimmers, giant water bugs, and firebugs.
Big stuff that bites us a lot includes, snakes, alligators, turtles, blue catfish (when over 100
pounds), and other stuff.
Sometimes, worse than being bit, is being spined by a fish. Most pond hobbiests don't keep real
spiny fish. Lots of fish at the fish farm are really spiny. Tilapias maybe the worst, or
hybrid stripers, or mud cats, or little blue cats ( spines like needles), or bluegills, or bass,
etc., etc.
If the mystery bug ever gets a good ID, I'd like to know what it is.
Brett
Tom Nugent
predators...they capture insects, sucking them dry with their strong,
piercing proboscis. Their bite can kill small fish, tadpoles...Known as
""water bees",their bite is painful to people and cattle."( A good
suspect. Got beedy little eyes, too!)
"Waterboatmen (Corixidae) spend...time on the bottom, gathering their
predominantly vegetable food with their forelegs and sucking it with
their weak probocis." No Jeffrey Dalmer, here. "Alright, Mr. Boatman,
you can leave. BUT DON'T LEAVE TOWN!"
Diving Beetle (Dytiscus) Both day and night these...are enormously
voracious predators. They hurl themselves upon their living prey and
plunge into its body the two widely opened, long, dagger shaped
mandibles. Through these oral daggers a toxic, solvent fluid from the
gut is poured int the victim's body which ... is liquefied...this takes
a few minutes and then is pumped into..." (You get the point. This
suspect is a true Psycho-killer, certified nut case. It is supposed to
hurt more than a wasp sting.)
Tom
jan jordan
wrote:
And who thought sharks were a problem? ~ jan
jrj...@my-deja.com
brett rowley <bre...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> In article <19990720180829...@ng-fj1.aol.com>,
> If the mystery bug ever gets a good ID, I'd like to know what it is.
>
> Brett
>
>Brett, get a copy of The National Audubon society's Field guide to
Insects and Spiders and look up the common backswimmer (Notonecta
undulata) AKA Water bee or water wasp. Also included therein is a
picture.
John
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
brett3
jrj...@my-deja.com wrote:
I know Notonectids well. I kill millions each spring with a mix of non-detergent motor oil and
diesel (or kerosene) in my fry rearing ponds. I swim in the thick of them quite regular and
seldom get bit. They will bite, but it just ain't the same as the Hemipteran "fire bug".
I really don't like any of them. They eat fish. Stuff that eats fish ain't welcome around my
place (mostly, I do tolerate a cat now and again). Takes about 15 gallons of diesel and three
quarts of oil to kill off a three acre pond full. Don't kill the backswimmers, won't raise no
fish.
Brett