|
The worms attached to the
lip of this crank bait are midge larvae, commonly called bloodworms for
obvious reasons. Members of the Chironomid family, these larvae
contain hemoglobin which stores oxygen within their bodies making
it possible for them to exist for some time in environments with very
little or no oxygen. For this reason, bloodworms are able to live in
lake bottoms which are organically enriched and/or highly polluted. They
are very common, and generally important, in sewage oxidation lagoons.
Bloodworms are fed upon by various species of fish including sunfish,
yellow perch and walleyes. In a documented feeding behavior, yellow
perch actually enter into anoxic lake bottoms and feed on these midge
larvae for short periods of time despite the lack of dissolved oxygen.
"Big Thanks" to the IL Dept. of Natural Resources for this
information. 12/10/2001
-
Close-Up View
Additional
Picture More Detail |