| Common Name |
Giant Water Bug |
| Phylum |
Arthropoda |
| Class |
Insecta |
| Order |
Hemiptera |
| Family |
Belostomatidae |
| Description |
Usually 25-45mm, range 14-65mm. Their front legs are widened and elbowed for holding prey. Their front wings have veins. Dorsally, their eyes protrude out the sides of their head. They have a pair of appendages at the end of the abdomen for breathing. Their mid and hing legs are fringed with long hairs. For more photos, refer to our online gallery: tinyurl.com/vaybvbn |
| Habitat |
Primarily lentic-littoral, some lotic-depositional. Commonly inhabit ponds, shores of lakes, marshes, ditches and small stream pools. Found among aquatic vegetation, terrestrial plants that droop over water and plant debris. |
| Feeding Information |
Proficient, voracious piercer-predators. Chases prey down and uses their powerful raptorial front legs to capture and hold down the prey while consuming it. They feed on a variety of aquatic insects, other arthropods, tadpoles, and even fish. For larger prey, they may ride the prey around until their poisonous salivary enzymes kill the prey. |
| Water Quality Tolerance |
Very tolerant. |
| References |
Voshell & Wright. 2002. |
