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#29: Water Striders


Litinsects #29: Water striders

It’s rare in nature but a few animals boast the ability to walk on water...among them, the water strider! These insects belong to the group HEMIPTERA, meaning they undergo incomplete metamorphosis and have mouthparts used for piercing and sucking. Here are some fun facts about these insects and their unusual ability:

  • Water striders are not actually aquatic but PLEUSTON, meaning they live on the water’s surface
  • The insects use their 6 legs to distribute their weight and use surface tension to stay on the surface of the water. Their legs and bodies are covered in tiny HYDROPHOBIC hairs, over 1,000 per square millimeter, which are waxy and water repellent and also help increase the body’s surface area
  • These hairs not only repel water while on the surface but, if a water strider is accidentally submerged, the hairs TRAP AIR and give buoyancy while at the same time providing the insect air to breathe underwater!
  • The short front legs are held in front of the body and are used to sense and catch prey. The other two pairs are much longer and used to distribute weight; the middle pair is used to “row” across the water and the hind legs are used to steer
  • Water striders are PREDATORS and eat small invertebrates that fall onto the surface of the water. They detect a future meal by sensing the ripples produced by prey while it struggles on the water. Predators include birds and fish
  • Water striders are found on calm waters. About 90% of water striders are freshwater bugs, while the remaining 10% are marine. These are usually coastal but one group, the sea skaters (consisting of 5 species), is found far from the shore and are the ONLY KNOWN truly oceanic insects
  • Common names include water striders, water skooters, water bugs, pond skaters and even...Jesus bugs
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