Waterbugs
What are they?
This group involves a number of different families of true bugs, but the common thread is that they spend at least a fair chunk of their lives in aquatic habitats. Most species are carnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of other aquatic inverterbates. Some spend much of their time submerged, visiting the surface periodically to take in oxygen. This group includes such insects as backswimmers, water boatmen and water scorpions. Other species live on the surface, being able to balance on the surface tension of the water. This latter group includes the water striders and water measurers.
Identification
Though this group includes some highly distinctive aquatic insects some groups - such as the water striders and backswimmers are complex and species can be very difficult to identify. This page cannot attempt to cover the complex identification of some of these insects, but some can be deduced from careful measurements of leg segments and minute details of leg structure. Details of the antennae and wing markings can also be important.
Water Strider Gerris sp.
Water striders of the genus Gerris are widespread and common in most types of fresh water, from slow moving rivers and streams to temporary ponds and even trackside puddles. Most species are winged as adults, allowing them to disperse easily to new locations. They skate freely across the water surface and actively investigate any interesting disturbance to the water surface that may provide them with a meal.
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