Been doing leak detection for over 25 years, been involved with our good friends at Anderson for probably 15 of those years. We have refined, tweeked and perfected our skills over the years. One thing that has been an issue for us over the years is "insect damage" to pools. As I am only involved in the underwater aspect of leak detecting I am never there when old liners are replaced, so I can just report back to my customers that the damage is typical of insect damage. This year I have underwater photos that clearly show where ants have chewed up the padding on the walls of an above ground pool and pictures of insect trails on the floor of the pool. I will be sending them to Bill soon so he can post them for your viewing pleasure.
The reason for this posting is I have a new (at least to me) insect preditor to report on. It is called an Ant Lion. Do a google search for more info and pictures. In a nut shell here is the story.
Customer could feel somthing poking through brand new liner. I pulled it out with needlenose pliers it was a small claw that was poking through the center of a golf ball sized depression. Customer stated there are many more depressions in middle of pool... each deprission had a small hole in it. In some I could barely feel something pointed sticking throughthe center of each depression then I found one big enough to grab onto got about a 1/8 to 1/4 inch claw pulled through untill it broke and got sucked under the liner by H2o pressure. I could feel whatever body it was attached to butting against the liner which is why I could not pull it through.
After job I was wondering what it could be and I remembered reading about the Ant Lion as a kid. Did a Google search and sure enough everything added up. Sandy Cape Cod Mass soil. the pool was put up in the site of an old pool. In the transition period the insects must have layed eggs which hatched after the pool was installed. These evil looking creatures where just trying to crawl there way out of the ground to live out their life cycle.

We just completed a liner job here in RI and the pool liner had been chewed through as well as the foam. We removed the liner and foam (I have attached a picture) then the exterminator came to spray the floor of the pool (sand bottom) so I was able to quiz him a bit. I was never sure if the damage that we would see to vinyl liners and Spa_Flex pipe was caused but carpenter ants or termites. According to him it is all termite damage because they are attracted to the cellulose in these products. Additionally he stated that ants would not be found down at that level. The product he used in the pool to "seal" the floor is the same active ingredient used in Frontline, the flea/tick product for dogs. Naturally the product he used is at a much more potent strength and he stated that as long as the "seal" is not broken that the chemical will last for over twenty years. Not bad for $350.00.
Swimpool guy... I am heading out to Falmouth tomorrow to find a gunite pool leak. Are you guys slacking off out there??

I tried twice to attach a picture. Didn't get any error messages but I don't see the picture here... Oh well!

Nope not slacking did five leak jobs today all in the Falmouth area,2 gunite 3 vynal. Other than losing a 1 month old dry suit off the back of the truck we had a profitable day. Thanks for the info on bug damage. The guy with the Ant Lion problem called back today his pool is still leaking. Just did a visual insp. last time will use the leaktrac this time