Watch for these long, skinny black insects running over the surface of ponds. Two short front legs and two pairs of long, slender hind legs help distribute their weight over the water surface. They feed on small insects that fall onto the water.
These bugs hang out, literally, on the under surface of the water with two legs out stretched and four tucked under. They eat small fish and other bugs, but in turn are eaten by giant water bugs and diving beetles and fish. Their bite stings like a bee sting.
The size of a willow leaf, this bug looks like a piece of crumpled brown cardboard. It feeds on fish, tadpoles, or other insects, injecting digestive juices into its prey to liquify it. Unlike other swimming insects it uses two pairs of legs to propel itself through the water.
Want to find out about species at risk in pond and lake habitats?Go to Species at Risk
Here are some other representative species in pond and lake habitats:
Beetles:Predaceous Diving Beetle (Dyscidae)Bugs:Water boatmen (Corixidae)Dragonflies:Alkaline BluetBlue-eyed DarnerWhite-faced Meadowflies
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