MEET THE BENTHIC BUGS!
There are many different types of bugs that live in the water — often in larval stages of their lives. These “bugs” are called benthic macroinvertebrates, which is a fancy way of saying animals without a backbone, that are seen with the naked eye, which live in water.
These invertebrates live in the bottom of creeks, streams, rivers. They are often identified by their tails/number of, gills, shape/number of legs, and so many special features! These interesting bugs like to hide under rocks, sand, and dirt to hide from predators like fish, crayfish, ducks, and other larger invertebrates!
If you would like to learn more after learning some basic knowledge about benthic invertebrates, see the link for a fun study tool:
https://create.kahoot.it/share/2024-obbn-study/7990a81f-316b-4cc9-ace3-e018db59f12c
Images of some benthics species (left to right: mayfly, water beetle, amphipod, dragonfly larvae) taken by Jhayden Echum.
BENTHICS ARE COOL
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BENTHICS ARE COOL 〰️
Benthics are important in conservation because they are bioindicators. This means that they can tell us the quality of water just based on their presence. Different species and the abundance can tell us how healthy the water is.
You may be familiar with some of these species like dragonflies, moths, butterflies, mayflies, crayfish, snails, mussels, and so much more!
Benthics are sensitive to pollutants and some being more resistant than others. This is why we are able to then asses the level of health of the water…for example if there are a lot of mayflies (sensitive species) in a creek that tells us that the water is clean and ideal for them to be living in that water.
Why use benthic invertebrates to asses the water?
They are overall easy and cost-effective to catch
High diversity…there are thousands of species of these guys which all have different resistances to toxins, pollutants, etc
Sedentary lifestyle…they often don’t move around different areas so they represent the area they are found in very well
Youth collecting and identifying benthics near Moose Factory, ON in July 2023
Benthics and Learning from Lake Sturgeon
Our LFLS program often incorporates learning and hands-on experience with youth. During some of our events we have done benthic sampling alongside water sampling on both the Mattagami River and North French River.
Keep an eye out for our next community booklet — which we’ll be handing out at the Career Fair in Moosonee/Moose Factory February 2025 — to find out what benthic bugs are doing in these rivers!
