Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Mosquitoes and Midges (Culicomorpha) » Mosquitoes (Culicidae)
Photo#115797
Creek critters - habitat
Copyright © 2007 Ron Hemberger

Creek critters - habitat
Orange County, California, USA
May 27, 2007
We don't have a lot of water around here, due to 1)living in a desert and 2)a nasty drought. It's nice to see tadpoles, as frogs have been scarce for quite a while until last year.

Images of this individual: tag all
Creek critters - mosquito larvae Creek critters - mosquito larvae Creek Critters - Mosquito Pupas Creek critters - habitat
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Ron Hemberger on 5 June, 2007 - 9:33pm
Last updated 9 June, 2007 - 12:17am

Those look like they are toad
Those look like they are toad tadpoles. Toads will more likely survive in a dry climate.

I also see mosquito larva, 2 kinds. Just before the mosquito adults emerge they become very round with almost no tail, and 2 tiny antenna on top. They will emerge within 24-48 hours at this point.
… bulrush, 6 June, 2007 - 1:21pm login or register to post comments

 
Good stuff - Thanks much!
I think most of what I call "frogs" here are actually toads, and thanks for explaining why. (The tadpoles are also sized between the large and small frog tadpoles I found while a kid in Ohio.)

I was fairly sure the long larvae were mosquitos, but knew nothing about the round guys being the same. You've cleared up a lot.

Generally in Southern California, water of this type would be monitored by county vector control folks. If it weren't drained, it would be populated with mosquito fish.
… Ron Hemberger, 6 June, 2007 - 3:19pm login or register to post comments

 
Profile
looks a lot like the Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus). Only species in SoCal is hammondi. As usual, a closer examination is needed to be sure.
… Kerry S. Matz, 20 September, 2007 - 6:24pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, Kerry. Name sounds familiar.
I think I have photos of adults, taken at another park. In this particular case, the creek dried up a couple weeks after I'd taken this photograph.
… Ron Hemberger, 20 September, 2007 - 9:53pm login or register to post comments

 
Spadefoots
specialize in the occasional water source (like mosquitos), that often vanishes before everyone gets out.
… Kerry S. Matz, 22 September, 2007 - 10:46am login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact