These larvae may attempt to burrow into the skin of people who swim in contaminated lakes. However, human skin is too thick, and the larvae cannot penetrate through it. But while trying to do so, they die and cause an itch. Although swimmer's itch is a nuisance, it is not serious, and the symptoms soon go away. Many other animals depend upon invertebrates for food.
Fish eat aquatic insects.
Young grouse and ptarmigan feed on insects during the first few weeks of their lives. Ducks and other water birds feed on aquatic invertebrates. Hawks and owls eat grasshoppers, beetles and moths. Bats in Alberta are also insectivorous, feeding mainly on flying insects. In forests and fields, certain mammals, such as shrews and mice, regularly feed on insects and other invertebrates.