This is a blue and brown dragonfly with sky-blue eyes, commonly found around wetlands feeding on flying insects, especially mosquitoes. Dragonfly nymphs live in the water catching insect larvae, crustaceans and small fish using their folding lower lip.
Look for this small yellowish beetle with black spots crawling over submerged vegetation searching for prey.
One of BC's biggest aquatic insects, this shiny black beetle will also eat almost anything in wetlands water. Males have round pads on their front feet for holding onto females. These beetles exude a strong smelling chemical if handled – an effective defense against predators.
Adults look very much like dull-coloured moths with long wispy antennae. They can be found swarming over wetlands in early summer. Caterpillar-like larvae live under water and build an elaborate case made of twigs, pebbles, leaves or reeds to grow in. Each species is associated with a particular habitat and has its own special case design. .
Want to find out about species at risk in wetlands?Go to Species at Risk
Here are some other representative species in wetlands:
Dragonflies:Alkaline Bluet (Coenagrionidae)Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Libellulidae)Bugs:Backswimmer (Notonectidae)Giant Water Bug (Belostomatidae)Water Boatmen (Corixidae)Water Scorpion (Nepidae)Water Strider (Gerridae)Beetles:Crawling Water Beetle (Haliplidae)Moths & Butterflies:Swallowtail (Papilionidae)
Click here to return to Grasslands Communities and Habitats
home
how you can help
contact
Print This Page
Email this page