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
Visit
my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/
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