1,086 giant water bugs stock photos, vectors, and illustrations are available royalty-free. What To Look For: Giant Water Bug Identification The largest insect in the US and Canada, these amphibious creatures from the family Belostomatidae can grow to be up to four inches long and prey on everything from other bugs to crustaceans, fish and even snakes. Because these bugs are often found under street lights and around porch lights, they are also one of the insects people ask most about. This family, although containing only about 100 species, includes the largest bugs in the order: sometimes exceeding 10 cm (4 inches) in the South American species Lethocerus grandis and ranging between 2 and 5 cm in northern climates. The Giant Water Bug is found throughout the northern United States and Canada, wherever there is standing or gently running water. It uses air bubbles trapped in the fine hairs on its body under its belly to provide oxygen while it is under water – a bit like a dock spider scuba dive. Giant water bugs are, unfortunately, tough (literally, and in terms of getting rid of them)! The larvae dig holes in the ground and wait for passing insects to go by and then they jump out and catch them like trap-door spiders. Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or colloquially as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks, or alligator fleas (in Florida). By Megan Gannon 31 July 2013. Individuals occur in ponds and ditches where they suspend below the surface, respiring through two abdominal appendages which act as siphons. (Photo: Ryan Hodnett/Wikimedia Commons), Canadian Geographic student geography challenge, Help designate an official bird for Canada, Grade 8 students exploring Parks Canada sites, Compare countries' statistics and explore our changing world, Innovative projects in the developing world, The revolution of mapping in the First World War, Canadian pilots heroically earn their wings, Canadian Geographic magazine in french: Géographica, Accessibility Standard for Customer Service Plan. During mating season they fly from pond to pond or pool of water. The toe-biter name came about as it is often stepped on by unsuspecting victims and the electic light bug name comes from its attraction to electic lights at night. Click here to learn more. In a short time period you can be standing on the brow of the Niagara Escarpment and looking down on the backs of turkey vultures as they soar on air currents above the marsh. Lethocerus americanus, Giant water bugThis is probably Canada’s biggest insect (exclusive of wings). Nothing like some giant bugs for snack! Canadian Geographic is a magazine of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Adults of some South American species reach 4 inches in length. Robert Anderson, a research scientist at the Canadian Museum of Nature and weevil expert, helped narrow the selection. C. Brown, Dubuque, Iowa. We further acknowledge and recognize that our work reaches across all of the distinct First Nations, Métis Homelands and Inuit Nunangat, and for this we are grateful. Water Scavenger Beetle (Life size) Giant Water Bug (Bclostomatida), also known as the Electric Light Bug, is one of our common bugs, both on land and in water. They usually hunt by lying-in-ambush clutching a submerged plant or rock with only their breathing tube sticking above the surface. They are the largest insects in the order Hemiptera. GIANT manufactures a complete line of electric and gas-fired commercial water heaters using the best raw materials available in Canada. Therefore consider the list below as a general indicator of the insects, bugs and spiders that may be found in a given state or province. This large insect lives up to its name, reaching lengths of 1 inch or more. The giant water bug is a general name for the freshwater insect group known otherwise as toe-biters. & Baranowski, R. M. 1978. … One is the toe-biter, and the other is the electric light bug. If you are unfamiliar with the term belostomatid (family: Belostomatidae) , it refers to a family of hemipterans often known by their common name “giant water bugs”, “electric light bugs” or “toe-biters”. Provide a complete line of electric and gas-fired commercial water heaters using best! Plant or rock with only their breathing tube sticking above the surface, respiring through two abdominal appendages act. 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