Bloodworm midge

Description:

As larvae, most midges live at the bottoms of ponds, lakes, and other aquatic habitats. ... Most are scavengers and spend 1 to 3 years as larvae. The pupae are aquatic, breathe air, and are a lot like the pupae of mosquitoes. As an adult, a midge may live only a few weeks. Midges are considered desirable insects in many settings and are a food source for fish and other aquatic life. They also help to keep waterways clean by consuming organic debris. The midge develops in a life cycle that includes four stages: egg, larvae(bloodworm), pupae and adult. Bloodworm (Chironomid Midge Larva) Eaten by: Fish, great diving beetle, large insect larvae. Adaptations: 'Bloodworm' (red colored) species have a high level of iron (hemoglobin) in blood so it can breathe from the water with low oxygen levels, burrows into the mud to hide from predators.

Habitat:

Park river behind Watkinson