Water strider insect. Water strider lifestyle and habitat

Features of sea water striders

Sea water striders spend their entire lives, from birth to death, on the surface of the water. They can be found hundreds and thousands of kilometers from land. Graceful insects are held on water with the help of very long limbs widely spaced in different directions and thanks to the air layer that covers the small body.

Halobates glide very quickly across the water surface, sometimes jumping a meter or even higher above the water.

The insects fly into the air for a moment, then plop back into the water. They dive into a storm, but not for long and dive shallowly. But water striders return to the surface to breathe oxygen in the air. This feature proves the origin of water striders from terrestrial insects.

Movement of water striders on water

Water striders are real virtuosos of gliding along the surface of the water. They are able to use their long legs to run through the water, like speed skaters on smooth ice.

Having encountered an obstacle - a strip of duckweed or other aquatic plants, the “skaters” make deft leaps and overcome the obstacle with strong leaps. The main participation in such maneuvers belongs to the two rear pairs of legs. The water strider's legs are covered with a fatty substance and are not wetted by water, so the insect easily glides along the surface of the water. In addition, during movement, tiny turbulences appear in the water before the next stroke of the limbs. These mini-whirlpools help the water strider move across the surface without any effort, whether in a calm pond or in a restless ocean.

Scientists have proven that water striders of all sizes use their limbs like oars, rowing and transferring momentum to the water mainly through dipole vortices created by their legs. To test this assumption, the researchers created an artificial insect that could move like a water strider. In English, a water strider is “water strider” or “walking on water.” The robot was called a “robostrider,” and the artificial water strider was able to move through the water like its natural counterpart.

When moving, the water strider spreads its legs wide, evenly distributing its body weight over a large area.

The long, narrow body of the water strider, with sharp and fast movements, perfectly cuts through the air.

The structural features of the legs are also associated with the movements of insects through water: the thin legs of the water strider at the junction with the body are extremely thick, there are strong muscles that are involved in strong movements.

A water strider cannot drown, even if it is deliberately lowered into the water.

The ventral side of the body is covered with white hairs with a waxy substance, so water does not wet the body and legs of the water strider.

The fact is that air bubbles are held between the smallest hairs. And since the weight of the insect is small, this air prevents the water strider from drowning.

Description and features

Water striders are a subspecies of the family of hemipteran bugs that live primarily on water. Thanks to the hard hairs covering the entire body of the insect, it does not sink in the water, but stays on its surface. These hairs have a water-repellent coating, which means they move quickly through water.

Water striders have three pairs of legs, the middle and hind ones are designed for movement and support, and the front ones are the shortest, help to hold prey and give direction to movement. In order to roll over, the insect uses three pairs of legs, moving them in all directions.

The body of insects is long and can reach 1-20 mm, color - from brown to dark brown. If obstacles arise on the water strider's road, they can jump, they have excellent vision and the ability to transmit and receive information using vibrations of the water surface.

Important! The antennae of the male are the most sensitive, thanks to this they easily and quickly find the female. Water striders live not only in ponds, but also in puddles. Interestingly, such species have wings, thanks to which they fly. River or lake specimens do not have them.

There are the following types of water striders:

Large - their body length reaches 17 mm.
Slow rod-shaped - they mainly live in Siberia, their body resembles a stick, hence the name.
Pond - a distinctive feature is the bright coloring of the legs.

Water striders breathe atmospheric air, but unlike sea bugs, they do not need to swim to the surface of the water to rest, because. They live precisely on the surface of the reservoir. Their respiratory system is the trachea, into which air enters through stigmata. They are located on the sides of the mesothorax and metathorax, as well as on each abdominal segment.

Appearance and features

Photo: Water strider insect

The water strider is a predatory insect, the dimensions of which depend on the species. Most of the species of these animals have a small body size - only a few millimeters in length. However, many water strider bugs are large in size for an insect. Some species can reach a length of seventeen millimeters. The color of the body also largely depends on the species. It ranges from greenish to dark brown. The lower part of the abdomen and legs of the insect are covered with stiff bristles. It has water-repellent properties. The abdomen is usually brown or gray in color.

Insects have a small head, against which the proboscis and antennae stand out. Antennae are an important part of the water strider's body. They help the animal to detect various odors and serve for the sense of touch. The proboscis takes part in hunting. With its help, the bug injects a special enzyme into its victim. This enzyme dissolves the insides of prey.

Particular attention of people in the appearance of water bugs is always attracted by the legs. They look frighteningly long. Water striders have three pairs of legs, each of which is endowed with its own functional abilities. The first two legs (the shortest) are used during hunting to capture prey, the middle and rear pairs are necessary for support and movement. The bristles located on the legs retain air, which makes the insect “unsinkable”. Some adult species also have wings. With their help, water striders fly over various distances to search for food.

Interesting fact: Lake and river water bugs do not have wings. They simply don't need them. The species of water striders that live in puddles need them most. With the help of their wings, these insects can move, because puddles dry up sooner or later.

Types and lifestyle

Water striders are insects that live on the surface of water bodies. They are often confused with spiders, both have thin bodies and long legs. However, their life is always connected with water; they live in ponds, rivers and lakes.

Important! There are sea water striders that can travel long distances. Lake and river species live mainly near the shore. They always live in large flocks, and 4-6 individuals can be observed on the surface of the water at a time.

After the onset of cold weather, bedbugs hibernate. They do this near vegetation or coastal soil. They winter on land, hiding in moss, under stones or among tree roots. When it gets warm, they awaken and begin to reproduce.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Water strider

The water strider is a rather elegant, lightweight insect that lives on the surface of rivers, ponds, and swamps. Very often it is confused with spiders due to its thin and long legs. Sometimes the water bug is mistaken for a cockroach or just a beetle. Water striders are a name that unites a whole family of hemipteran insects. They belong to the suborder of bedbugs. In Latin, the name of such animals sounds like “Gerridae”.

Video: Water strider

Today, it is known that there are more than seven hundred species of water striders that live on the water. This is the most common type of such insects.

The most famous and widespread types include three:

pond strider. Its distinctive feature is the bright, rich color of its paws;
large water bugs. They are practically the largest in the family. The body length of such insects can reach seventeen millimeters;
slow-moving rod-shaped water strider. This animal received its name solely because of its appearance and habits. Outwardly, this bug very much resembles a stick; it lives in Siberia and leads a measured lifestyle.

It is quite easy to recognize representatives of the water strider family. They have average dimensions for insects, large and thin legs. From a distance they can really resemble a spider. Water bugs live on the water surface. Their paws are covered with very hard hairs that have water-repellent properties. This is why a water strider can easily glide through the water and not sink.

All representatives of this family have many common features, one of which is developmental stages. All water striders go through two stages: larvae and adults. In the first stage, water striders live for about a month. At this time, their body is actively developing and changing its color. From a greenish insect with short legs, they gradually turn into a rather large brown bug with long, thin legs, allowing them to move freely along the surface of ponds and reservoirs.

Appearance and distinctive features

So, what does a water strider look like? The insect, the photo of which looks more like a floating stick, has a rather long, elongated body. Depending on the subspecies, its size can range from 1-2 cm to 4-5 mm. At the same time, the insect that lives in the sea is considered the smallest.

The main feature of any water strider is its long legs. Often their size exceeds the body of the bug itself. Such proportions are due to the fact that the paws are the key to the survival of the species. After all, it is they that allow the insect to quickly glide across the water surface. The water strider has six limbs in total. She also has wings, but she uses them quite rarely.

Most representatives of this species are painted in dull colors. The most common colors are brown and black. By the way, this color is not accidental - nature specially awarded it to the insect. The water strider is almost always found in open space, so dark colors that blend perfectly with the water are its only chance to protect itself from constantly hungry birds and amphibians.

Description of the species

Slender, elongated to 10-15 mm bodies, a wide head with spherical faceted eyes, 3 pairs of widely spaced legs and short wings - this is what this water-dwelling bug looks like. Long antennae are clearly visible on the head, and there is also a well-camouflaged proboscis.

The front pair of legs is shorter than the hind legs, has sharp claws and is used as a grasping organ. The water strider moves with the help of the middle pair of legs, while the hind legs play the role of a rudder.

Using quick jerking movements, insects glide along the smooth surface of the water. When they encounter an obstacle, they jump over it in leaps and bounds.

At the point of articulation with the body there are strong muscles that allow such movements to be made. Insects have a layer of fat on their legs that is not wetted by water, allowing them to glide along the surface rather than fall into the water. The abdomen has a waxy coating and is also not wetted by water.

The coloring is protective, depending on the color of the reservoir. It can be brown, brown, and even black.

Reproduction and lifespan

The female water strider lays eggs on the leaves of plants, attaching them with the help of special mucus (in appearance it resembles a long cord consisting of deposits of several dozen eggs). If a clutch of many testicles is made, then a mucous substance is not required.

And for small clutches you can’t do without it, because the eggs simply won’t be able to stay in the soft tissues of plants. Males are distinguished by their “paternal instinct”; after fertilizing females, they actively participate in their lives, even accompanying them during the period of laying eggs. They protect and protect the female and cubs.

Important! All summer days, sexually mature individuals reproduce. The larvae appear in a couple of weeks, and within a month they become adults. Young ones can be distinguished from their parents by the body size of the water strider and the short, swollen abdomen of the cubs. The lifespan of water striders is about a year.

Breeding water striders

Water striders lay their eggs on the leaves of aquatic plants in a single row, with the eggs glued together with a slimy substance. The clutch looks like a long jelly-like cord consisting of about 50 eggs. Some clutches are made without a mucous substance and form a chain of testicles simply lying along the edge of the leaf of an aquatic plant, in this case the testicles are located parallel to each other in one row. Smaller species of water striders simply embed their eggs into plant tissue.

Insects lay eggs throughout the summer. In a reservoir, along with adult water striders, there are also larvae at different stages of development, very similar to adults. They are distinguished by their small body size and a more swollen short abdomen.

Ability to run on waves

The water strider is an insect whose description always boils down to a story about its amazing ability to withstand the water element. So how does she manage not to drown? The thing is that the bedbug's legs are covered with a special substance that resembles fat in its structure. This creates a kind of barrier that prevents the limbs from submerging in the water.

In addition, the insect knows how to correctly distribute weight: the load does not fall on one point, but is evenly transferred to all six limbs. As for the high speed of movement, it is achieved through fast, impulse strokes. It is they who create turbulence behind the water strider, which pushes it forward.

It is noteworthy that the bug can swim both on mirror-smooth surfaces and among waves. It is this skill that allows water striders to settle in various types of reservoirs, which significantly increases their survival rate, and, consequently, the population.

How does a water strider stay on the water?

This simple ability of water striders is explained by the physical properties of water described above. This is due to the so-called surface tension force. If we briefly retell the essence of this “trick,” we get the following: in the boundary layer between the air and the water column there are water molecules, which are acted upon from below (from the depths) by a force several times greater than from above. Because of this, a thin membrane is formed on the surface of the water. It is she who holds the water strider, which happily conducts its life activities.

Diet

Do not think that this is a peaceful insect; the water strider is a real predator. She boldly attacks any small creature that is unlucky enough to find itself on the surface of the water. Such impudence is completely justified, since other insects are not able to fight back, being in an element alien to them.

The hunting principle of water striders is very simple. As soon as the prey falls into the water, they swim up to it with lightning speed and cling to the body with hook-shaped front legs. Then the predator pierces the prey's shell using a sharp proboscis located on the head. Afterwards, the water strider can only suck the liquid from the body of the unfortunate creature.

What does it eat?

These are aquatic predators, feeding on invertebrates - spiders, insects that fall to the surface of the water. Pond water striders are attracted to a food source by the ripples produced by struggling prey.

The insect uses its front legs as vibration sensors created by the ripples. They pierce the victim's body with a proboscis, inject salivary enzymes that destroy internal structures, and then suck out the resulting liquid.

They prefer live prey, although they are not selective eaters when it comes to terrestrial insects.

Water striders, which are found in the open sea, feed on swimming insects, zooplankton, and sometimes eat their own nymphs. Cannibalism helps control numbers and limit territories.

During the mating season, when water striders live in groups, the level of cannibalism is lower and they share the prey. Some are scavengers, feeding on leftovers.

Features of behavior of water striders

Many people mistakenly assume that this is an exclusively aquatic insect. The water strider indeed spends most of its life in the pond, but this does not mean that it is not capable of conquering other elements. For example, she has wings that allow her to make short flights. She uses them if her native reservoir begins to dry up and she needs to find a new shelter.

These bugs can also crawl on the ground. They do this very ineptly, since their thin legs constantly get stuck in small cracks and breaks. However, despite this, land is vital for them. The thing is that water striders cannot spend the winter in water, and therefore look for a warm home in the ground or in a tree. Thus, this one is truly unique, because it managed to conquer three elements at once.

Biological features of the water strider bug

Its life cycle is quite long and lasts one year. It begins with eggs, which the female lays on the leaves in the cavity of the vegetation, this stage lasts about two weeks, then within a month the larva grows and turns into an adult.

In cold weather, it hibernates and lives in thickets of aquatic vegetation or soil around its river. With the onset of warmth, life continues again, the process of reproduction begins.

A distinctive feature is that it does not sink, which is why it gets its name. The answer to the question why water strider bugs do not drown in water is very simple. This is due to the fact that its abdomen and paws are covered with a layer of fatty film and special villi. Their peculiarity is their ability to hold air bubbles and act like a lifebuoy. Thanks to the force of surface tension, the widely spaced fuzzy legs are held on the surface and prevent the owner from drowning.

Water striders are very elegant, light insects that live on the surface of water bodies. Sometimes they are mistaken for spiders, less often for beetles or cockroaches. Their life is always connected with water, so they live without leaving theirs:

pond;
quiet river;
lakes.

Natural enemies

The main enemies of water striders are birds and amphibians. The former catch insects in calm sunny weather, while the latter skillfully track them at the edge of the shore. Naturally, they cannot cause much harm to the population, but individual individuals will clearly have to come to terms with a sad fate.

The small water strider bug (Heteropteram) belongs to the order of predators and represents the family of Hemiptera. In total there are approximately 700 species of these insects. Judging by the description of the appearance of water strider bugs, they have both differences and common features.

From the photo you can see what water strider bugs look like. They have a narrow brown body, elongated in length. Size from 1 mm to 3 cm. Zoology enthusiasts are often interested in how many legs a small water strider bug has. It has three pairs of legs that perform different functions. The front ones are the shortest because they are needed for capturing and holding food. The hind and middle ones are much longer than the body and are designed to live on the surface of the water. In the photo with water strider bugs, the difference in the length of the legs is clearly visible.

Reproduction

Gender discrimination is determined through the transmission of the frequency of pulsations that occur on the surface of the water. Males predominantly produce ripples in the water. Three main frequencies were found in pulsating communication: 25 Hz as a scare signal, 10 Hz as a threat signal, and 3 Hz as a courtship signal. The approaching person will first emit a reflective signal to inform the other.

Find out more 10 interesting facts about caterpillars that you never knew about

If the other does not return the repulsion signal, then the male knows it is a female and will switch to a courtship signal. An unresponsive female will raise her belly and make a repulsive call. Males that are allowed to mate remain attached to the same female throughout the reproductive season.

Females lay eggs by attaching them to stable surfaces such as plants and stones. Some lay eggs at the water's edge if the body of water is calm enough. The number of eggs depends on the amount of food available to the mother during the reproductive season.

They overwinter as adults in fallen leaves, under permanent shelters such as logs and stones. Reproductive diapause results from shortened day lengths during larval development and seasonal fluctuations in lipid levels.

A shorter day length signals the water strider about upcoming temperature changes. Insects use accumulated lipids for metabolism during hibernation. The duration of hibernation depends on the warmth of the air and the increase in daylight hours.

Their way of life

A large number of well-known species of water striders live in reservoirs: large, armored, velia, stick, small, etc. The large water strider reaches a length of about 17 mm. She has wings and a reddish body. Pond species about 1 cm long. It has a dark brown color, light legs, and black stripes on the front legs. At the same time, female pond snails have a red abdomen, and males have a black one.

The marine species is 5 mm smaller, but can move at speeds of up to 3.5 km/h. It lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and feeds on fish eggs. Insects are found in open water, often several kilometers from land. Scientists also found out where the water strider bug lives. It lives in bodies of water with a lot of vegetation. In this case, most often, water striders choose stagnant water, which has a very weak current. They spend most of their lives on the surface of the water. There are also winged species that, if desired, can move to other bodies of water. Wingless individuals do not change location.

Their life is short and lasts only one year. Parasites are not dangerous to humans. They bite, but these bites are not poisonous, although they are painful. People usually come into contact with them while swimming in bodies of water. The favorite places of insects are human toes and hands.

It is worth knowing what the water strider bug feeds on in the pond. Their usual food is fish fry or insects that have fallen into the pond. Parasites have piercing-sucking mouthparts. Using the trunk, they introduce an enzyme into the body of the fry, which dissolves all organs and tissues, after which it absorbs the resulting mass. However, there are those who like to feed on small bugs, water striders. Among them are herons and frogs. You can easily find a video of a frog happily eating water strider bugs.

How do insects reproduce?

During reproduction, insects lay eggs several times, and according to a certain pattern. The female places them in a single row on the surface of plants growing in water bodies. At the same time, the water strider secretes mucus, with the help of which it attaches the eggs not only to the leaves, but also to each other. From a distance, a clutch of eggs, the number of which can be up to 50, resembles a long light cord.

During laying, a male is constantly near the female. He ensures her safety and peace. Parasites reproduce all summer, and their larvae are similar to adults, only small in size.

During the mating season, males are very jealous of their territory and do not allow other males to approach the female. When an opponent appears, they begin to hit the water surface with their paws. Scientists claim that insects are able to control a large area in order to prevent a meeting with a so-called competitor. The male easily recognizes the sliding of his female through the water, so he will not attack her.

Interesting facts about parasites

There are some interesting facts about water strider bugs. For example, many are interested in the answer to the question of why small water strider bugs do not drown in water. The fact is that the long legs of the insect are covered with tiny hairs. They trap air, so they help him maintain balance. In addition, their abdomen is lubricated with a wax-like liquid. It repels water and prevents the water strider from drowning. It was also noticed that insects located among a large number of air bubbles look silvery. When winter comes, parasites begin to prepare for the winter, which they spend on land. During this time, the muscles that control the wings atrophy. This is the answer to why water strider bugs become wingless during the cold season.

Some time ago, scientists established another feature of these insects. It turned out that they affect the reduction of the horsefly population. The fact is that horseflies lay their eggs in bodies of water where their larvae develop. Water striders feed on both fly larvae and adults. Moreover, an adult horsefly is too large for one insect, so it is usually attacked by several bugs at once. It was found that one bug will suck a horsefly for about an hour, while a flock will take only a few minutes.

The respiratory organs of parasites are presented in the form of tubes. The respiratory system is located in the front of the abdomen, but insects cannot breathe under water. To capture air, they have to surface.

Why do you dream about parasites?

Sometimes questions arise not only regarding who eats the water strider bug, but also why they dream. There are several authoritative dream books that can help solve the dream. These insects are very unpleasant, so many people believe that a dream with their participation warns of various troubles. Dream Interpretations agree with this opinion.

For example, Miller’s dream book claims that bedbugs in a dream are a harbinger of a long illness and other misfortunes. If there were a lot of them, it means that in reality some event will radically change your destiny. Seeing dead insects means misfortune that will arise due to some disease. Squashing parasites that produce water instead of blood indicates an accident that will happen soon. Bugs crawling on a white wall mean a disease with a quick cure. According to the Small Velesov Dream Book, parasites dream of trouble, boredom, annoying people who force you to communicate with yourself from time to time, but do not cause much interest. The source also claims that parasites can predict material well-being, but most likely it will appear only after serious and long work, which was accompanied by great hassle. But this prediction is only valid if you simply watch the crawling insects. If you have to look for them, it means that soon you will have unpleasant troubles and significant expenses. According to the publication, an eaten bug could mean a scandal or quarrel in the near future.

A similar interpretation is given by the dream book of Simon Kananit, who claims that bedbugs foretell a meeting with an annoying, unpleasant acquaintance. Allegedly, this person will drain positive energy from you the same way bedbugs drink blood. The dream book of birthday people for January-April agrees with this prediction. He says that parasites indicate the presence of an energy vampire near you

The love dream book claims that seeing bedbugs means impending troubles with your loved one. It is possible that he will lie to you a lot and show his two-faced nature. A large number of parasites is a harbinger of betrayal or an impartial act on the part of a partner.

Return to description

Who are water striders?

These are small insects from the order Hemiptera. Simply put, these are bedbugs. Like their relatives, water striders are equipped with a piercing-sucking mouthparts (proboscis), which allows them to introduce special substances into the body of their prey that paralyze and decompose its tissues. This is necessary in order to suck the finished “broth” out of the victim.

Water striders are predatory creatures. Their main food is insects that accidentally fall on the surface of the water. If the future meal is large enough in size, then several water striders can feast on it at once. However, these creatures prefer to hunt and feed alone.

The harm and benefits of water striders

The water strider bug is not a dangerous insect to humans. You can safely swim in bodies of water where these bugs are present. But if threatened, the water strider can bite. However, the bite will resemble a light injection without unpleasant consequences.

Water strider bugs, if their numbers are very large, can cause harm to fish farms. They eat the fry of valuable fish species and suck the contents of the eggs. If there are few water striders, the damage from their vital activity is insignificant.

On the contrary, water striders can be beneficial. They play an important role in regulating the number of blood-sucking horseflies, which cause a lot of inconvenience to people and animals. Horseflies lay their larvae in water. Water striders attack adults, larvae and feed on eggs. The size of horse flies is much larger than the size of water strider bugs, so they unite in groups for hunting. A group of water striders can eat horseflies for as long as an hour.

A group of water striders attacking a horsefly

Danger and benefit for humans

Water bugs in our latitudes do not pose a danger to humans; it is not part of their diet. You can swim in reservoirs inhabited by water striders without fear.

In rare cases, water strider bites are possible, but they are practically painless and have no unpleasant consequences. The only danger is that microorganisms living in the reservoir can penetrate into the wound through the bite. Therefore, the bite site should be treated with a disinfectant composition: brilliant green, chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide.

The harm that bedbugs can cause to humans is by eating fry and eggs of valuable fish species. But if the population is small, the damage from such a feast is insignificant.

Read more about the consequences of a waterbug bite in our article - Waterbug bite: how to live after it.

Tropical varieties can cause more serious problems. In addition to the proboscis, they also have a more formidable weapon - a stinger. Their bite is painful, comparable to a wasp sting, and the affected area goes numb. The pain may persist for an hour, after which it passes. There is a danger of an allergic reaction to the secretion, in which case it is necessary to take an antihistamine.

The insects themselves can be beneficial; they regulate the number of horseflies by feeding on eggs laid in the water and attacking adult individuals. Eating dead insects and small animals, they act as orderlies, freeing the reservoir from carrion.

Water strider bugs are a necessary link in the ecological chain, so there is no point in fighting them. They perform an important role as cleaners of water bodies, without causing harm to humans and animals.

Is the water strider dangerous for humans?

These insects do not pose a danger to people. All their victims are small in size and have a different habitat. However, water bugs are not so harmless; if disturbed, they can sting. Their piercing apparatus is very sharp and can easily bite through human skin. But their bite does not harm the body.

A small red spot may form at the site of the bite, which is accompanied by slight itching. To relieve these sensations, the affected area must be lubricated with iodine. Tropical water striders pose a slight danger; an allergic reaction is possible as a result of their bite.

Traces on the code remain for several weeks, the affected area must be treated with special preparations, and also take antihistamines. The greatest damage that these insects can cause is eating rare varieties of fish, sucking out the contents of their bodies.

Water striders are aquatic insects that live in seas, rivers, lakes and even puddles. The unusual structure of water striders helps them cover long distances and hunt for prey. They do not pose a danger to people.

The lifespan of a water strider is about a year, during which time they breed offspring. Thanks to receptors on the antennae, the male quickly finds the female and fertilizes her.

A little physics

Before revealing the secret of water striders, it is necessary to remember some basics of the physical properties of water.
As is known, the air and water environments are separated from each other by a special film of surface tension. At the boundary of two phases, the attractive forces arising between water molecules are not balanced, i.e. the sum of forces acting downwards turns out to be many times greater than the sum of forces acting upwards. Due to this, the density of water on the surface of the reservoir is slightly higher than in the main water layer. But that is not all! Molecules tending downward lead to the appearance of a kind of elastic membrane that is capable of supporting objects with a density higher than this on the surface of the water. However, there is one condition: these objects must be dry. If you wet them, they will independently attract water molecules to themselves, which will disrupt the structure of the surface film.

It is curious that various living organisms use these amazing physical properties of the water film for their own purposes. It is worth moving from physics to zoology. As you know, life on the border of two habitats has a very noticeable advantage. The most famous inhabitants of the surfaces of reservoirs are, of course, water striders.

Is it necessary to fight water striders?

Water strider bugs are a very important link in the natural food chain. As already mentioned, they play a major role in reducing the number of blood-sucking horse flies by attacking them in small groups and eating them.

If you imagine that the surface of a reservoir is a huge dining table, where noisy feasts are periodically held, then water striders are the object that wipes the remains of food from the table so that they do not rot and attract other insects.

Therefore, the fight against water strider bugs is not worthwhile and has no meaning or basis. These insects do not harm either humans, the animals they raise, or the plants they cultivate.

Harm and benefit

This is one of the types of insects that do not attack humans first. However, if they are disturbed, they may well bite. The puncture site does not need to be treated. Considering their feeding habits, you can guess why these bugs can cause harm: they eat not only insects, but also prey on fish fry. If we are talking about rare species, they can cause serious damage to the waterfowl population.

Additionally, bedbugs clean the pond of dead insects after the winter period. Another feature is that they eat horse flies. This leads to a reduction in their number. Bedbugs attack adults and larvae. To kill horseflies, insects unite in groups.

Is it necessary to fight water striders?

Bugs that do not drown when moving through water do not cause harm, unless we are talking about fish farms for breeding rare waterfowl. In other cases, water striders are quite important insects. With their help, the pond is kept clean, since these bugs remove dead insects, be it a dead beetle, bee, etc. Additionally, such insects regulate the number of horseflies, which means they occupy an important place in the food chain and there is no need to fight them. water striders

Some interesting facts from the life of water striders

Scientists have studied the water strider for a long time and came to the conclusion that these are unique insects. Some interesting facts about the life of water bugs:

The flight muscles of water striders dissolve during hibernation. When they wake up in the spring, their ability to fly is lost.
Sea water striders have been discovered in the ocean, thousands of kilometers from the coast. Thanks to microscopy and other research experiments, it was found that insects are protected from salt water and ultraviolet radiation by a shell that has a special structure.
There are 46 species of sea water striders, which are divided into oceanic representatives and individuals living near the shore. Of these, 41 are coastal species that try to stay close to land. They can be found on reefs or in mangrove thickets. Females lay eggs on algae that protrude from the water at low tide, as well as on rocks and coral reefs. There are 5 species of these representatives living in the open oceans. They move completely away from the shore and lay their eggs on shells, bird feathers, pieces of wood and plastic, and other objects floating on the surface of the water.
Once upon a time, a plastic canister with a volume of 4 liters was discovered in the Pacific Ocean, on which 70 thousand water strider eggs were attached. The eggs were arranged in 15 layers. Since 1 female is capable of laying up to 10 eggs, it has been estimated that over 7 thousand females have used this item to give birth to their offspring.
During the day, insects move towards sunset, at night - in the opposite direction.
The insects' high speed of movement through water is achieved thanks to a special technique: when the tips of the legs are immersed in the water, miniature funnels are formed, from the walls of which the water strider pushes off, rushing sharply forward. It follows from this that an insect covers a distance 100 times greater than its body in a fraction of a second. Equating this ratio to a person, it can be calculated that people could reach speeds of up to 650 km/h.
Canadian researchers used video recordings to watch male water striders mate with females. To limit the movements of females, they use their hook-shaped antennae. This shape fits perfectly under the contour of the female's head.
Individual representatives of water striders Rheumatobates rileyi organize entire battles for the right to own a female. A repeated mating process does not occur, since the female is able to store the sperm obtained after the first time. In addition, this process is considered costly, as it does not allow her to eat properly and makes her vulnerable to enemies.
Scientist Kiuchin Cho from Seoul, together with a group of roboticists, have created miniature water strider robots. Before creating them, they spent a long time observing the behavior of insects and carefully studying their structure. According to the researchers, the robots turned out amazing. They glide and float on the water like real insects.
During rain, water bugs can drown, so during such periods they leave bodies of water in search of shelter.
To stand up for their food, baby water striders have to fight. In this they use their front legs. Having not divided the food, 2-3 bugs accelerate towards each other, cling together with their front paws, fall to the surface of the water and roll there until the most dexterous and cunning one grabs the prey and takes it to a secluded place. At this time, the remaining insects continue to fight.
The specific gravity of the insect is small, slightly more than one. Based on this, a water strider is heavier than water, but not to such an extent that it can cope with the surface tension of water.

Living on water is more difficult than living on land. Water is a dense medium. In order for an insect to be able to swim quickly and live in aquatic conditions, its integument must be smooth, its body shape must be streamlined, and its legs must be strong. Nature has endowed the water strider bug with such data.

Sources

https://orpro.ru/pochemu-klopy-vodomerki-ne-tonut-begayushchie-po-vode-prodolzhitelnost-zhizni/
https://animalreader.ru/morskie-vodomerki-vsya-zhizn-na-volnah.html
https://givnost.ru/vodomerka-nasekomoe-opisanie-osobennosti-vidy-obraz-zhizni-i-sreda-obitaniya-vodomerki/
https://FB.ru/article/290843/porazitelnoe-nasekomoe—vodomerka-klop-pokorivshiy-tri-stihii
https://KlopNope.ru/bug/vidy/klop-vodomerka
https://opklop.ru/klopy/vidy-klopov/klopy-vodomerki-ili-vodyanye-klopy-foto-osobennosti-107/
https://misterklop.ru/klopy/vodomerka-nasekomoe-opisanie-osobennosti-vidy-obraz-zhizni-i-sreda-obitaniya-vodomerki
https://nithome.ru/klopy/klop-vodomerka.html

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Interesting facts from the life of water striders

The insects themselves become prey to fish and birds. To protect against predators, bedbugs are equipped with a protective coloring - the color of the back is always dark, which makes them difficult to distinguish from above against the background of the bottom of the reservoir. The abdomen is always light, allowing it to be invisible from below against the sky.

They also have one more enemy - the small water mite. The parasite larvae bite through the body of the water strider and drink blood. The affected insect can be identified by a red dot on the chest.

The structure of the water strider's legs is interesting. They are completely covered with tiny hairs that hold air bubbles microscopically. It is this, and the length of the widely spaced limbs, that allows it to stay on the water using surface tension.

The special structure of the legs allows the insect to move through the water and not drown

The abdomen is also covered with hairs lubricated with wax. It prevents you from getting wet and allows you to always stay afloat. Try to drown an insect, you are unlikely to succeed. But the body immersed in liquid looks silvery due to small droplets of air.

Despite their wings, water striders prefer to remain on the water surface and are reluctant to fly. But the inhabitants of large puddles or drying up lakes can fly to a more suitable place for living.

But they are excellent jumpers. Pushing off with their long paws, they jump over obstacles they encounter along the way. Their speed of movement is also amazing. In one second, a small insect can cover a meter of surface, which is comparable to the speed of a pedestrian.

Lifestyle and species

Water striders are very graceful, light insects that live on the surface of water bodies. Sometimes they are mistaken for spiders, less often for beetles or cockroaches. Their life is always connected with water, so they live without leaving theirs:

pond;
quiet river;
lakes.

There are also sea water striders that cover enormous distances over hundreds of meters. Lake and river bugs always live near the shore.
They do not live alone, so 3-4 bugs can be observed on the surface of the water. Their life cycle is quite long , they live up to 1 year. After mating, females lay eggs on the leaves of plants in the cavity of the vegetation. Water strider bugs remain in this stage for about 1–2 weeks. Then a larva emerges from the egg and grows for a month, after which it turns into a full-fledged adult.

When cold weather sets in, water bugs hibernate. They spend this time in vegetation near water, as well as in coastal soil. With the onset of warm days, life awakens again and the process of reproduction begins.

Insect running on water

Water striders belong to the family of hemiptera insects of the suborder of bugs. Scientists count more than 700 species of these insects. We have the opportunity to observe in nature the most common species that lives on the surface of the water.

The entire body and tips of the legs of the water bug are covered with hard hairs that are not wetted by water. It is this water-repellent coating that allows the water strider to easily move through the water and not sink. They glide along the surface of the water, legs spread wide. They have 3 pairs of legs - the middle and hind ones are used for movement, support, and as a steering wheel. A pair of shorter front legs serves to hold prey and act as a kind of engine when moving.

To turn, the water strider moves its legs in different directions.
Their elongated body can be from 1 to 20 mm long and brown or dark brown in color. When insects overcome obstacles, they can make jumps. They have remarkable vision, as well as the ability to transmit and receive information using vibrations in the surface of the water. Often the sensitive antennae are used by males to find a female to mate with.

River or lake individuals do not have wings because they do not need them. There are also insects that live in puddles. They have wings, which they need to move around when puddles dry up.

The most famous types include:

large - the largest in our regions, their body length reaches 17 mm;
slow stick-shaped water strider - lives in Siberia, and its body resembles a stick, which is why it is called that;
pond - distinguished by the bright color of its legs.