How to Get Rid of Baotman Bugs in Your Swimming Pool

There are two kinds of bugs that can infest your swimming pool, Water Boatman bugs and Backswimmers. (Notonectidae ). The Boatman bugs are harmless but they can take over your pool very quickly. The Backswimmers have a nasty bite and I have been stung by one myself and it is not fun. But they don't tend to swarm like the Boatman bugs. On a recent visit to my Dad's house in Indio California, I witnessed the Boatman Bug invasion of Biblical proportions.



The Coachella Valley is a desert region in California that has been recently overrun by the Boatman bugs. No one know exactly where they are coming from but they are falling from the sky like snow. They usually run their course in a body of water, but in this case with more and more falling from the sky a pool just gets re-infested day after day.

Boatman bugs will fly and then land on your pool surface. They then gather air in their wings and go under the surface to search for food and a place to lay their eggs. So one way to prevent them from multiplying is to eliminate their food source, which is algae. You may not even be able to see algae in your pool but there could be some micro algae on the pool walls. So the first step in preventing the Boatman bugs from multiplying in your pool is to eliminate all algae. You can pour in a bottle of Polyquat 60 which is the most effective algaecide in this case, but it does break down in the water over time.

I prefer using the PoolRx Mineral treatment as it will last up to 3-6 months and will eliminate 100% of algae in your pool, especially the micro algae that you cannot even see. PoolRx is safe for all pool types and once inserted in your pool's pump basket will start working right away. By the next day any algae will have been killed and the Boatman bugs will have no food source or egg laying source. Keeping your chlorine up at 3.0-5.0 ppm will prevent algae growth but be aware that the Boatman bugs are not effected at all by high chlorine levels. You will want to keep your chlorine level up only to prevent algae growth.

So how do you get rid of the Boatman bugs? By removing their food source you at least will prevent a larger infestation. But if they are falling out of the sky all you can do it prevent your pool filtration system from getting clogged up. This is important because once your filter stops working effectively the pool circulation will become slow and algae could form in your pool. Since algae is the boatman bugs food source you do not want that to happen.

So I suggest installing a Filter Sock (Filter Saver) in your pool's skimmer basket. This is a cloth like sock that covers all of the holes in your skimmer basket. All of the Boatman bugs will be caught in the skimmer basket while the pool is running. Then, simply take the basket out every few hours and spray the Boatman bugs with bleach. A direct spray of bleach will kill them.

If you have an automatic cleaner you may want to remove it for the duration of the infestation or you can install an inline canister to trap the bugs that are sucked up from the pool bottom. A canister with a fine mesh bag like the Hayward W530 Leaf Canister is the best choice. If you have a bouncing type cleaner you may want to remove it since the bouncing motion creates air in the water and that is counter productive to keeping the Boatman bugs on the surface.

Adding dish soap to the pool surface like Dawn is also a good way of controlling the bugs. The dish soap will keep most bugs from swimming effectively on the pool surface. This is very effective for gnats and other small insects that may live in your grass, and this method can trap the Boatman bugs underwater.

Another effective trick is to use a Liquid Pool Cover in your pool during the infestation. One of the side effects of a liquid pool cover is that it allows a thin film of chemical to coat the pool surface. Bugs have a hard time in breaking through this film and this can prevent many of the Boatman bugs from going underwater. They will still get under but not in great numbers. You want the Boatman bugs to remain on the surface so that the pool skimmer can pick them up.

In the case of those who are living in an area like the Coachella Valley, you can only take steps to keep them from multiplying and clogging up your pool filter. Like in my Dad's case he lives near many lakes situated on the golf course which are perfect breeding grounds for the Boatman bugs. The over all solution is to eliminate those breeding grounds and I think then the problem will gradually go away.

Tips:
Keep your chlorine level high at all times
Add a PoolRx unit to prevent algae growth
Add a Filter Sock to your Skimmer Basket
Add an inline canister to your Automatic Cleaner
Remove your Automatic Cleaner if it is the bouncing type
Add a Liquid Pool Cover product to your pool
Use dish soap in the pool water to trap the Boatman bugs

Videos you might find helpful:
PoolRx Overview and Use Video: Eliminates and Prevents all Algae: https://youtu.be/vYodIg3hu8g
PoolRx will Solve: Algae Every Week, Constant Low Chlorine Levels, High Phosphates: https://youtu.be/LA7HZ_nIQcA
Podcast AUDIO ONLY - Episode 5: PoolRx Explained, an Interview with Fred Schweer of PoolRx: https://youtu.be/lv9CTO4j6W4
Polyquat 60 Algaecides: https://youtu.be/F-wyINIHVlU
Filter Sock Filter Saver - Prevent Bugs and Debris from Entering the Pool Filter: https://youtu.be/p0l-pNoO_eM
Hayward W530 Large Capacity Leaf Canister with Mesh Bag – Review: https://youtu.be/iyTaIgE_iSU








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