Beartown larva ID?

I got some video and a photo of some tiny larva at Beartown Lakes (now posted to https://youtu.be/InMQyL6wscA). Just wondering if someone could tell me what they are. Also noticed a very tiny snail in my video. Thanks in advance.

Invertebrates in a leaf-lined pool.

Great catch!  Your video clip shows a pool teeming with invertebrate life.

The small creatures thrashing about are some well-grown mosquito larvae. They have to hang out near the water’s surface in order to breathe, but whenever they sense danger, they’ll wriggle their bodies into an S-shape and swim for cover. Based on their size, those larvae are probably ready to turn into adult mosquitos soon! (We’ve also been surprised at how well-developed the mosquito larvae have been this early in the season; their parents have really taken advantage of the warmer days!)

You’re right that there are also some cool snails in there. The fast-moving snail with the bullet-shaped shell (towards the top of the image) might be one of the ‘bladder snails’ in the genus Physella, but it’s hard to see. (If you REALLY want to dive down the rabbit hole of snail identification, the Ohio Division of Wildlife has a terrific online guidebook.)

All of those swimmers in the pool are important food sources for animals further up the food chain. That’s part of the reason they were in such a hurry to get away from you, a potential predator!

Thanks for sharing!

-Naturalist Chris Mentrek