This experiment began in the fall of 1992 and ended in the spring of 1993:
On various times for some reason or another a caterpillar would lose his grip on a leaf and fall into the water. I first I worried that they might drowned, but soon discovered this caterpillar had a natural ability that helped in it's survival. After falling they would curl into a ball and float on top of the water. Then they would stretch out and violently contort their bodies, doing this continuely until the slight wave actions brought them close to a plant where the caterpillar could climb up on the vegetation. While this movement saves the life of the caterpillar, in the wild, it would no doubt attract the attention of it's natural enemies.
After adding more pond water and plants, including frog-bit, on the fifth day of my experiment, I was surprised to see the caterpillars were now refusing to eat the frog-bit, and instead concentrating on only the water hyacinth leaves. And much to my delight more aquatic insects and creatures were appearing, brought in with the new plants and pond water, from the swamp.
1. One, Brown Waterscorpin (Ranatra fusca)
2. Three, small Fresh Water Shrimp
3. One, small Crayfish
4. Three, Mosquito fish
5. Several, Water Beetles (need to identifity)
During the evenings, using a flashlight, I explored the underwater world and vegetation. Hiding between the water hyacinth roots the crayfish lay hidden awaiting some unexpecting fish to swim by, and the water beetles seemed to be feeding on the Filamentous Algae, in the tank. It appeared they were laying eggs on the stem roots of the water hyacinth plants.
Each morning nothing had changed and little movement noted, other than the diving water beetles and the caterpillars eating the hyacinth leaves.
One afternoon as the sun rays came through the window into the aquarium, the Brown Water Scorpian, emerged from the water and perched on the top of a frog-bit leaf giving me the perfect opportunity to study him more closely, He is a very interesting specimen. he is of the (Nepidae) family, elongated, sticklike, four-winged insect, characterized by a long breathing tube at the anal end of his abdomen.
