Aquatic Macro Invertebrates
We can measure the health of our freshwater to a large degree by what lives there. The chart below shows a variety of freshwater macro invertebrates and the coloured dots represent that organsims family sensitivity to pollution. Click on it to get a larger view. The organisms featured are all from Victoria. The types of invertebrates found in freshwater include Crustaceans, Insects, Molluscs, Worms and Spiders. Some live all of their lives in water while others only spend part of their life cycle in the water. Insects like dragon and damselflies, mayflies, and stone flies all spend the juvenile lives in water. When they leave the water and moult for the last time they are then winged adults. Some insects like the mayflies only live a day or two after they leave the water. They live just long enough to mate and lay eggs. The photos are all taken around Geelong and Anglesea in Vic unless otherwise stated in the caption.