Boatman Bugs vs. Backswimmer Bugs: Why They’re in Your Pool and How to Make Them Leave

Seeing little bugs swimming around in your pool is annoying, but here’s the part most pool owners miss: the bugs are usually not the real problem. They are a symptom.

Boatman bugs and backswimmer bugs both show up because water reflects light. To them, your pool looks like a good place to land. But once they get there, the reason they stay is different.

Understanding that difference is how you get rid of them.

Boatman Bugs: The Algae Eaters

Boatmen, also called water boatmen, are attracted to pools because of the reflected light coming off the water. Once they land in the pool, they start looking for food.

Their food source is algae.

That means one thing: if you have boatmen in your pool, there is a good chance algae is present, even if you cannot see it yet.

This is where people fool themselves. They look at clear water and assume there is no algae. But algae can hide in the early stages, in low-circulation areas, behind ladders, around steps, in light niches, along seams, or in spots that do not get brushed well.

Boatmen do not bite. They are not the dangerous ones. But they are telling you something important: your pool has something for them to eat.

Get rid of the algae, and the boatmen lose their reason to stay.

Backswimmer Bugs: The Biters

Backswimmers are also attracted to pools because of reflected light, but they are not there to eat algae.

They are predators.

Backswimmers feed on other insects, especially boatmen. So if you have backswimmers, there is a good chance they are there because the food chain is already set up for them.

And yes, backswimmers can bite.

They are called backswimmers because, are you ready for this… they swim on their backs. That upside-down swimming style is one of the easiest ways to tell them apart from boatmen.

Backswimmers also lay their eggs in algae. So algae gives them two reasons to stick around: a place to lay eggs and a hunting ground full of other bugs.

The Real Fix: Stop Treating the Bug, Start Treating the Cause

Scooping bugs out of the pool might make you feel like you are solving the problem, but it is only temporary. More will show up if the reason they came is still there.

The real fix is algae control.

When you remove the algae, the boatmen lose their food source. Once the boatmen leave, the backswimmers lose their food source too. And with no algae available for egg-laying, backswimmers have even less reason to stay.

So the formula is simple:

No algae = no boatmen = no reason for backswimmers to stay.

Brush the pool thoroughly. Improve circulation. Maintain proper sanitizer levels. Pay attention to hidden algae, even if the water looks clear. The pool does not need to be green for algae to be present.

Boatmen and backswimmers are not random. They are signs. Read the signs, fix the water, and the bugs will usually leave right behind the algae.