[va-richmond-general] Re: strange water creature

I checked out the website and the closest I could come was either a member of 
the diptera/fly family or some sort of aquatic worm. There were no legs on the 
creature. Length was nearly 2 inches. It was tubular in shape, rather than 
flat. I have sent them an e-mail giving a description of the creature. I will 
let you know when they respond. Thanks for the site. 

Michael Shapiro
Henrico
sc.tanager@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Carol Heiser 
  To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; sc.tanager@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 1:27 PM
  Subject: Re: [va-richmond-general] strange water creature


  Michael (and others)--in case you're still trying to figure out what this 
critter is, there is a key to aquatic macroinvertebrates on a web site of the 
New York Department of Environmental Conservation:
  www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/stream/index.htm 
  Good luck!
  Carol Heiser
  Va. Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries
  Richmond, VA


  >>> sc.tanager@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 08/12/02 07:09AM >>>
  I know this isn't a bird sighting, but I don't know who else to ask this, 
it's so odd. Perhaps some of you that fish regularly might know what this is.
      We were canoeing on our lake at camp Friday when we came across these 
two, slug/caterpillar-like creatures on the surface of the water. They were 
about 2 - 3 inches long, black and white striped, and propelled themselves 
across the surface of the water sort of like a worm - by stretching 
out/elongating their body from the middle to the front(? I'm not sure I could 
tell where the head was), then having their other half catch up by making their 
bodies thicker again. They appeared to have three "prongs" on the end of their 
bodies, which they used to grab on to sticks or lily pad stems floating on the 
surface.
      My first thought was either caterpillars or dragonfly or mosquito larvae. 
However, they had no legs and swam on the surface, not under water. Even when 
they were attached to something, they were still on the surface. They seemed to 
be at home in the water, so it's unlikely they were caterpillars, and mosquito 
larvae don't float on the surface and aren't that large. All the pictures I saw 
of dragonfly larvae showed that they have legs. As I said, these creatures did 
not. Any thoughts at all? Anyone know someone I can ask? One of the kids held 
it and said it tried to bite her.

  Michael Shapiro
  Henrico
  sc.tanager@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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