Yes, I actually have a favorite pool of stagnant water out at the Indiana Dunes. Several as it turns out. But my absolute favorite is this one spot on the Bailly Calumet trail. A 3ft wide depression next to the trail that is always full of water in the spring. Consequently it is also full of larvae! Mostly mosquito larvae, but probably plenty of others including various flys. I have been visiting this particular puddle for 3 years now. I like to check it out several times through out the spring to watch how it evolves.
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Here is a close up of what I found in my favorite pool of stagnant water on this day in mid March. See all those tiny black lines, with the little ball at one end? They kinda look like an old fashioned thermometer. Those are mosquito larvae. Now I hate mosquitos, they make summer more unpleasant than -5 degree weather in January. But I still love watching how their larvae grow change over time. That’s one of the things I like most about nature. Even its most miserable parts are utterly fascinating when you look at them the right way.Here is a closeup of the exact same stagnant pool of water taken a year ago in mid May. As you can see, on this day it was chock full of maturing mosquito larvae and maggots. I cannot wait to revisit this years version later in the spring!
Do you have a favorite pool of stagnant water? If not, why not.
