Midge fly larvae from UK Fishing Forums. Your wastewater treatment plant has great quality effluent. Warm temperatures during summer helps by increasing bacteria activity. Once water temperatures reach the 20 - 35 degree C range, bacterial activity increases significantly as temperatures reach the ideal range for most organisms. The warm weather also can bring problems with insect pests including red worms. Tiny midge flies lay their eggs in wastewater treatment plants. Once the eggs hatch, midge larvae live on your microbial biomass or MLSS.
In normal waters, midge larvae feed on decaying plant materials and associated decomposing bacterial/fungi. While this helps recycle nutrients in nature, the larvae finding an abundant food source in with wastewater MLSS can cause a major loss of total solids. Faster growing heterotrophic bacteria can usually keep up with the problem. It is the slower growing AOB/NOB and PAO organisms that are most effected during a midge fly outbreak.
What can be done? The EPA has approved two options for combatting midge fly larvae.
In normal waters, midge larvae feed on decaying plant materials and associated decomposing bacterial/fungi. While this helps recycle nutrients in nature, the larvae finding an abundant food source in with wastewater MLSS can cause a major loss of total solids. Faster growing heterotrophic bacteria can usually keep up with the problem. It is the slower growing AOB/NOB and PAO organisms that are most effected during a midge fly outbreak.
What can be done? The EPA has approved two options for combatting midge fly larvae.
- Bacillus thuringiensis spores (Bt) are a natural insecticide to the midge larvae. Brandnames include VectoBac and AquaBac XT.
- Strike is an approved insect growth regulator that stops larvae development. (It is similar to growth regulators used for flea control in pets).
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