bug with "feathers" on his hind legs

[mouse]

hi my husband seen some black bugs/beetles 2 1/2" - 3 ". that look like they got "feathers on the hind legs. we live in california.
any idea what type of bug that is
thanks
dianne

 

[woijchik89]

hi my husband seen some black bugs/beetles 2 1/2" - 3 ". that look like they got "feathers on the hind legs. we live in california.
any idea what type of bug that is
thanks
dianne

Got a pic?

 

[cichlidsman]

could it be a water bettle?

 

[Navaros]

Leaf footed bugs - Hemiptera. Just my guess.

 

[Alex S.]

If it is a beetle, then probably Dytiscidae (predacious diving beetles: aprox. 3,500 species) as their hind legs are modified into very efficient swimming appendages with extended hairs on them that act like segmented paddles that thrust backwards at the same time to move the beetle forward in the water. There is also the Hydrophilidae (water scavenger beetles: aprox. 2,000 species) that are another family of water beetles that have similar, modified hind legs but use a different swimming pattern. Two families (other families have them as well, but not to this extent) of predacious, aquatic Hemiptera, the Notonectidae (backswimmers: aprox. 350 species) and Corixidae (water boatmen: aprox. 550 species) also have long limbs modified for swimming with hair-like structures. Many aquatic insects have this feature of modified swimming limbs with hair-like structures. Although a picture would help the ID more.

Edit: Although if the insect was 2.5" to 3" long then maybe it could be a giant water bug (Belostomatidae), which have flattened hind legs with feather/hair-like structures that aid in swimming. There are seven genera and approximately 150 species of giant water bug world wide with 3 genera and around 20 to 25 species in the U.S. Lethocerus is the only genus that gets above 2.5", so if it is a giant water bug then it could be L. americanus, L. griseus, L. annulipes, or L. uhleri. All North American Lethocerus, although Lethocerus americanus is really the only Lethocerus species that occurs in California.

Alex S.