What an exciting find – our first of what we hope will be many Larvae!

After detailed observation, comparison with reference material, youtube content and image analysis, the organism was confidently identified as a Chironomid Midge Larva — a non-biting fly larva commonly found in freshwater habitats.

Notable features included:

Cylindrical, non-flattened body
Prominent paired black mandibles for scraping food
Eye-like pigment spots on the head
Central digestive tract visible through the translucent body
Rapid, wriggling locomotion typical of midge larvae

In fat it spent minutes hiding behind the plant material / detritus it was eating – then sporadic very rapid movements as it started eating again. It was almost scary waiting for it to appear again!

This larva plays a key ecological role in pond systems, breaking down detritus and serving as a major food source for pond predators like diving beetles and amphibians.