Glassworm
Encyclopedia
A glassworm is a type of midge
larva
called Chaoborus. They are also known as phantom midge larvae, because they are transparent. They can be found commonly in lake
s all over the world and can be up to 2 centimeters in length.
Glassworms are almost entirely transparent, except for pairs of black kidney-shaped structures in the front and the back of the body. These dots are the air sacs. They use these air sacs to migrate up and down in lakes. Glassworms breathe through the end of their abdomen
and have two small eyes at the front of their bodies.
Chaoborus adults do not bite or suck blood
. Larvae live in open waters and even sediments, where there is no oxygen
for them to breathe. In some lakes they can found as deep as 70m. In these deep anoxic waters they can avoid predation more easily than near the surface. They get around the fact that a normal air filled invertebrate trachea
l system would fail at these depths by having it reduced to just two air sacs. They are predaceous, and catch their prey with their modified prehensile antennae. They look somewhat like mosquito
larvae, on which they prey and frequently destroy in large numbers.
The simplest way to collect Chaoborus larvae is by a plankton net. Glassworms are very easy to store if the water is kept cold and aerated. They are very tolerant to bad water conditions, including chlorine
. They are sometimes collected and sold as fish food
.
Midge (insect)
Midges comprise many kinds of very small two-winged flies found world-wide. The term does not encapsulate a well-defined taxonomic group, but includes animals in several families of Nematoceran Diptera. While some midges are vectors for disease, many others play useful roles as prey items for...
larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
called Chaoborus. They are also known as phantom midge larvae, because they are transparent. They can be found commonly in lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s all over the world and can be up to 2 centimeters in length.
Glassworms are almost entirely transparent, except for pairs of black kidney-shaped structures in the front and the back of the body. These dots are the air sacs. They use these air sacs to migrate up and down in lakes. Glassworms breathe through the end of their abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
and have two small eyes at the front of their bodies.
Chaoborus adults do not bite or suck blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
. Larvae live in open waters and even sediments, where there is no oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
for them to breathe. In some lakes they can found as deep as 70m. In these deep anoxic waters they can avoid predation more easily than near the surface. They get around the fact that a normal air filled invertebrate trachea
Invertebrate trachea
The invertebrate trachea refers to the open respiratory system composed of spiracles, tracheae, and tracheoles that terrestrial arthropods have to transport metabolic gases to and from tissues....
l system would fail at these depths by having it reduced to just two air sacs. They are predaceous, and catch their prey with their modified prehensile antennae. They look somewhat like mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
larvae, on which they prey and frequently destroy in large numbers.
The simplest way to collect Chaoborus larvae is by a plankton net. Glassworms are very easy to store if the water is kept cold and aerated. They are very tolerant to bad water conditions, including chlorine
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
. They are sometimes collected and sold as fish food
Fish food
Aquarium fish feed is plant or animal material intended for consumption by pet fish kept in aquariums or ponds. Fish foods normally contain macro nutrients, trace elements and vitamins necessary to keep captive fish in good health. Approximately 80% of fishkeeping hobbyists feed their fish...
.