Benthos was sampled at 5 ponds on and near Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in W-central New York [USA]. Sampling was performed in the spring before most aquatic plants began growth. Numbers and biomass were variable and peaked in early and late May, respectively. These peaks occurred too late for benthos to be of major importance as food for spring migratory waterfowl. Waterfowl broods appeared during the peaks and were able to use the benthos as food. Regardless of weekly variability in numbers and biomass of benthos, it seems as if adequate invertebrate life was available for waterfowl from ice breakup to the emergence of aquatics in early to mid-June.