Chironomus plumosus
Appearance
Chironomus plumosus | |
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Adult male | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Chironomidae |
Genus: | Chironomus |
Species: | C. plumosus
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Binomial name | |
Chironomus plumosus | |
Synonyms | |
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Chironomus plumosus, also known as the buzzer midge, is a species of nonbiting midge (Chironomidae) that occurs throughout areas in the Northern Hemisphere.
Description
Adult
Adults are pale green with brown legs and grow to 12 mm (0.5 in). Males have feathery
sibling species C. muratensis and C. nudiventris cannot be distinguished from C. plumosus based on morphological characters.[1]
Immature
The
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]
Lifecycle
During the spring and summer, males create mating swarms which people can find quite a nuisance, though adults do not bite or feed. Females lay egg masses in water where the egg mass will grow and sink to the bottom. The larvae stay at the bottom in silken tubes.[4] The larvae feed on organic material such as organic debris and algae.
References
- .
- ^ "Chironomus plumosus - Buzzer Midge — an Illustrated Guide". Archived from the original on May 18, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
- ^ "Non-biting midge - Chironomus plumosus". Natural England. Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-4027-4153-1.
External links
Media related to Chironomus plumosus at Wikimedia Commons
- BioLib