The larva of the baby: how does it look, what does it feed on?

In this article, we want to talk about such a small creature as the larva of the calf. It can be found in clean water in the middle of plants. From other larvae it is distinguished by long antennae on the head.

Features of the waterers

It is worth noting that such tiny creatures represent a detachment of insects, and they have the scientific name of a cloane. And they are called a snowstorm. Many fish eat them and their larvae with great pleasure. Moths fall into the water, and fish immediately seek to grab a snack and eat.

Surely, you have repeatedly seen how small insects fly into warm and quiet evenings to the light of street lamps or to the lights of steamers. This is what is meant by the daydreams. They are very easy to learn. They have two pairs of transparent mesh wings, the anterior ones always being much larger than the rear ones. In quiet weather, it's incredibly interesting to watch their flight. They quickly wave their wings and soar upwards, after which they freeze and, as if on a parachute, go down.

The Russian name "podenki" already in itself speaks about the short period of existence of these creatures. They live from a few hours to two days. Insects are interesting because their larval stage can last for several years, but at the same time an extremely short period of time is allowed to adults, which is equal to several hours or one day. This paradox in development is difficult to explain.

What does the larva look like?

But the larvae of these insects develop in the water. They have a slender body and developed legs, as well as bundles of tracheal gills on both sides of the abdomen. One larva of the calf has seven pairs of gills, similar to flat oval plates.

The first six pairs always oscillate, but the seventh remains motionless. First, the first pair begins to move, followed by the second, and so on. In this way, a constant current of water flows from the front to the rear gills. An interesting fact is that in water enriched in oxygen, the movement of the gills is considerably slowed down. But if there is not enough oxygen, then they move so intensively that a "shining" effect is created around them.

What do the larvae feed on?

Larvae feed on particles of organic matter, which are so small that they do not attract other aquatic inhabitants. The larva of the calf is able to turn these garbage into the substance of its body, in turn, it serves as a source of nutrition for birds, fish, amphibious, predatory aquatic insects. The life of these creatures is full of dangers, not all of them live to a mature state. Only some of them live on the bottom of the reservoir for about two years, while shedding a huge number of times. And coming out of the water, there are only a couple of hours, after which they perish. The wings of an adult insect are very tender, and the legs are incredibly weak for walking.

What feeds on the adult larva of the calf? The mouthpiece of an insect does not function, and sometimes completely absent. This is due to the fact that the adult being simply does not feed. The digestive system of an insect is filled with air, this creates an additional lifting force, which helps the fragile wings of the calf. The mouthpiece of an insect is simply not intended for nutrition. It seems that such unfit creatures appeared quite recently. But this is completely wrong. Fossil remains of these insects are found even in the layers of the late Permian period, their age is 250 million years.

Adult podenka: reproduction

In a mature state, they reach two or three centimeters. In the caudal department, the larva of the calf has three tail, very long filaments, which are its distinctive feature. These threads help them to swim, their action is like flippers or a tail.

I must say that an adult insect does not live long. Its life cycle is equal to the time that is necessary to participate in the marriage flight, performed in the evening on the shore or over the river. Of a whole swarm of males, only one representative swiftly flies out and grabs a female, which is ready for reproduction. In her body is a large number of eggs. She releases them into the water, and she dies. The morning after such a marriage dance all the banks and the surface of the water are strewn with dead insects. Thus ends one life cycle of a larva of a calf and a new life begins.

The further fate of the larvae

In the Great Lakes region, in the north of America, there are those years when trucks are taken from the streets of the city by placers of insects that cover a large layer of roads and roadways, making them incredibly slippery at the same time. After the marriage dance, the adult insect dies, but the eggs that get into the water, just begin their life cycle. They have an excellent mechanism to help them survive. Each egg is equipped with thin threads that unfold at the moment when it first touches the water. Such yarns have adhesive patches, due to which the egg can be retained at the bottom of the reservoir.

The puppies often become victims of dragonfly larvae. This predatory insect not only eats its own kind, but also hunts tadpoles and fry. Enemies in life, there are enough podoken, so not everyone is doing a full life cycle.

Lifestyle

The butterfly larvae spend all her life in the water. It is difficult to imagine, but within two or three years of underwater life the creature molts up to forty times, which is the absolute record for insects. For example, butterfly caterpillars molt all five times. A feature of the podoken is the fact that they molt after they have wings. Leaves the winged, but not sexually mature creature. Then another moult takes place, and a ripe insect appears, which immediately goes to the mating flight.

All varieties of podoken fly out overnight and very friendly. Once, on a quiet evening, over the water surface, you can see whole myriads of insects. Their number is so great that a cloud of these creatures can spread hundreds of meters. There are even such cases when in such a conglomeration of podenok machine stalls, as their radiators are hammered by insects.

The creatures that died after the marriage dance are an excellent food for fish. Fishermen also use insects as bait on fishing.

Varieties of podokenok

Over the world, there are more than two thousand young women. And in Russia there are about 250 varieties, of which more than 100 are found on the European side. The most common insects in our region are creatures belonging to the families of seven-day, thin-skinned, two-tailed and real podoken. The smallest and most numerous are the two-tailed ones.

And the largest species on the territory of Russia can be considered an ordinary calf, which reaches a length of 15-20 mm.

Where do insects live?

Different kinds of podokok live in different places. Some are glued to seaweed and disguised as grass, others prefer standing water, while others are croaking in bottom sediments and debris. In flowing reservoirs, insects hide under stones. It does not matter in what environment the larva lives, but each of them accumulates a decent fat layer during its underwater life, which it will later need in its adult state.

Instead of an afterword

Such amazing little creatures as the footmen have a fairly long period of underwater existence and a very short and rapid life in the adult stage. Their bright, but short flight sometimes seems fabulous and ephemeral.