Barry found one of these odd-looking little aquatic critters swimming around in an open area of the pond where the ice had receded. This is the larva of a hover fly (Syrphid family). It is difficult to identify species of hover fly at this stage, but I am guessing that this is in the Eristalinae subfamily and might be the drone fly, Eristalis tenax, a non-native and common species. That long 'tail' you can see is the breathing tube. Not all hover flies are aquatic at this stage, but certainly those in the Eristalinae tend to be. (CH)