Mosquito larvae started life hanging out at the surface of the pond. Now their new wings carry them away from the water. The males will drink plant nectar. The females will drink blood and only return to the pond to lay their eggs. Water striders tiptoe across the calm water.
Turtles climb on top of each other to gain the sunniest spot on a floating log.
A moose stands knee-deep in water, munching on pondweeds and water lilies. A green blanket of algae coats the surface of the pond. Most of the oxygen in the water is provided by the plants, a leftover of their making energy from the sun. Fish like large-mouth bass, perch, and brown bullhead use the oxygen by pumping water over their gills. The bass may grow to be as much as two feet long.