Aquatic insects

[dtknow]

Well, whaddya know?

 

[Ecilious]

Awwwwwwwww!

I love seeing those little guys in the summer on my pond. Watching the adults fly is quite impressive too.

 

[dtknow]

They are growing...and sure are cute little buggers! Feeding them on little booklice(Psocids). I've seen the adults fly...take off right from the waters surface and out of the tank! Wonder how they are able to "jump". I've seen them jum particularly when the male is trying to get the unwilling female to mate and they can go maybe 3 inches into the air.

Also, 3 of the adults(all males) have hauled out on the sides of the tank. Could they be trying to hibernate?

I'll post an update when I get the chance.

 

[Jesse607]

Giant water bugs, backswimmers, waterscorpions etc are all true bugs and do not have a larval stage. The immatures are known as nymphs and look like mini adults, only without wings. Some authors have taken to refering to all immature insects as "larvae", but most people still use "nymph" for the sake of clarity. Sometimes, immature aquatic insects are also called "niads" in some books.

I believe almost all European entomologists and hobbyists refer to all immature insects as "larvae", although it may be less common now than in the past.

Sorry for getting off topic!?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I updated my page by adding two ws pics but will eventually turn it into a breeding manual including the rearing article from Invertebrates-Magazine.
Waterscorpion Page
Here's a batch of the African waterscorpion nymphs at hatching time:

 

[johnharper]

Backswimmers are pretty easy to keep

I have kept quite a few backswimmers over the years. I usuall kept them in big jars with small holes punched through the lids and the top of the jars. I gave them some vegitation to hold on too and they did the rest. I fed them flies and small crickets . Keep their water atound room temperature and you shouldn't have a problem with them. If you don't have a filter on them frequent water changes will be needed as their food remains will decay quickly in water. Hope this helps.

John