Chironomus plumosus

Chironomus plumosus
Adult male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Chironomidae
Genus:	Chironomus
Species:	C. plumosus
Binomial name
Chironomus plumosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Chironomus annularis De Geer, 1776 Chironomus ferrugineovittatus Zetterstedt, 1850 Chironomus hebescens Walker, 1856 Tipula plumosa Linnaeus, 1758

Chironomus plumosus, also known as the buzzer midge, is a species of non-biting midge (Chironomidae) that occurs throughout areas in the Northern Hemisphere.

Description

Adult

Adults are pale green with brown legs and grow to 12 millimetres (0.5 in). Males have feathery antennae while females' antennae are sleek. There is a dark brown band at the end of each abdominal segment. Adults of the sibling species C. muratensis and C. nudiventris cannot be distinguished from C. plumosus based on morphological characters.^[1]

Immature

The larvae are called bloodworms because some larva are bright red, but they can also be found in brown and almost black. When the larva pupate they will drift towards the surface, making them vulnerable to many types of fish.^[2] Other common predators include the common backswimmer (Notonecta glauca), common pondskater (Gerris lacustris), common toad (Bufo bufo), lesser water boatman (Corixa punctata), dragonflies, damselflies, great crested newt (Triturus cristatus), great diving beetle (Dytiscus marginalis), redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris), water scorpion (Nepa cinerea) and other midges such as Anatopynia plumipes.^[3]

Life cycle

During the spring and summer males will create mating swarms which people can find quite a nuisance even though adults do not bite, or feed. Females will lay egg masses in water where the egg mass will grow and sink to the bottom. The larva stay at the bottom in silken tubes.^[4] The larva feed on organic material such as organic debris and algae.

References

1. ^ Ryser H, Scholl A, Wülker W (1983). "Revision der Gattung Chironomus Meigen (Diptera) VII: C. muratensis n. sp. und C. nudiventris n. sp., Geschwisterarten aus der plusomus-Gruppe.". Revue suisse Zool. 90 (2): 299–316. 
2. ^ "Chironomus plumosus - Buzzer Midge - an Illustrated Guide". http://www.first-nature.com/insects/diptera/chironomus_plumosus.htm. Retrieved February 10, 2009. 
3. ^ "Non-biting midge - Chironomus plumosus". Natural England. http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o371-nonbitingmidge.php. Retrieved February 10, 2009. 
4. ^ Evans, Arthur V. (2007). "Flies: Order Diptera". Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. p. 235. ISBN 978-1-4027-4153-1.