Knowing water and soil quality by these particular insects

Created By RISC | 3 years ago

Last modified date : 2 years ago

Insects might all look similar but they have many different roles. Today is Loy Krathong. Our rivers are probably full of floating baskets that can affect creatures like water bugs. ​

If you live near water you’ve definitely seen water bugs. They are benthic animals that spend part of their lives on the river bed. Some live on rocks or logs in slow-moving water. They only live about 1 year. Each species responds differently to the environment. Some are sensitive to changes in oxygen in the water. Some are more resilient. ​

Did you know that these insects indicate the cleanliness of each water body? ​

Water quality can be measuring by observing benthic animals. Monitors collect data on biodiversity using the Bio-Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) Score, which groups types of benthic animal. You can also just observe them in water bodies near your home … ​

If the water is clean, you’ll find larvae of insects like mayflies and stoneflies. If the water quality is poor, you’ll find hoverfly worms, chironomid worms, or only resilient types such as Trichoptera. A good quality water source should have a variety of species in balanced quantities. ​

Some species can also help control populations in ecosystems. Dragonfly larvae are a food source for fish and other animals but also catch and eat mosquito larvae. If they enter the adult stage, they will eat other insects as food, helping to control pests and annoying insects such as mosquitoes and flies. ​

At Loy Krathong, we can avoid floating Krathongs to protect water bodies near our homes. This shows our respect for the goddess of water, helps control pests that cause harm or disease, and conserves biodiversity.

Story by: Kotchakorn Rattanama, Biodiversity Researcher, RISC