A cool pool swim is perfect—until a sting or swarm ruins it. Bugs like water boatmen, backswimmers, and springtails can crash your oasis. Handybeeman explains what they are and how to handle them.
Why Bugs Invade Pools
Spiders, ants, or wasps might stumble in—annoying but not settlers. The real trouble comes from bugs drawn to your pool as a home or hangout, like mosquitoes or water bugs.
Poolside Pests
Mosquitoes, midges, dobsonflies, mayflies, and stoneflies see pools as egg-laying spots. Mosquitoes spread disease; midges and dobsonflies bite. Dim lights and strong filters help keep them at bay.
Water Bugs to Watch
Water Boatmen
These flat, half-inch bugs paddle with oar-like legs, eating plants and mosquito larvae. They don’t bite but attract trouble—backswimmers. Harmless yet icky, they’re a cleanup perk with a catch.
Backswimmers
Similar to water boatmen but nastier, backswimmers bite like bees. They swim upside-down, blending dark backs with pool bottoms and light bellies with the sky. Spot them by their backstroke—then clear them out fast.
Springtails
Tiny (1/16 inch), springtails leap with tail-like springs. They don’t bite or harm pools but coat surfaces when plentiful, grossing out swimmers. They crave dampness, not you.
How They Get In
Springtails slip in chasing moisture. Water boatmen and backswimmers fly from ponds, lured by lights or debris—then lay eggs if it’s cozy.
Keeping Bugs Out
Springtails
Trim plants away from the pool edge. Once in, they drown—skim or filter them out.
Water Boatmen
Cut lights (keep 30 feet off, low wattage) and debris. Shock-chlorinate twice weekly (1-3 PPM safe), add algaecide post-shock, then brush and vacuum after 12 hours. Skim daily—15 minutes keeps it clean.
Backswimmers
Same tricks as water boatmen—plus starve them by clearing other bugs, their food.
Why Handybeeman?
Buggy pool? Handybeeman pros zap pests with expert fixes. Contact Handybeeman today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do water boatmen bite?
No, they’re harmless—backswimmers are the biters.
How long to clear bugs after algaecide?
12-24 hours with brushing and filtering.
Can backswimmers live in chlorine?
Not well—shock treatments kill them off.
Are springtails harmful to pools?
No, just a messy nuisance—filter them out.
Bug-Free Pools with Handybeeman
Swim pest-free with Handybeeman’s expert care. Contact Handybeeman today!
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