Tarantula Eating Man Killer
Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 1:15 AM
I am currently serving in a mission for my church in Kisumu, Kenya. One night during the time just before the rainy season (March) my companion and I were playing Rook when we heard a knocking at the door. We came out to inspect, but saw no one. So this happened several times and we finally got curious enough to investigate. We thought maybe it was some kids, but we were wrong. We saw this little thing on our porch. I was about to kill it when my companion suggested we take some pictures. I went to get the Rook card for scale and when I bent down to put the card next to the bug, it flew right at my face. I dodged it, more surprised than scared, and it flew into the door (And it made the knocking sound we were hearing) and fell on its back. While it was still dazed I took the card, set it next to the bug and took the picture. I have been wondering what it was. I swear that this thing is the biggest bug in the world! Besides maybe a tarantula. But this thing feeds on them! Well I don’t know for sure, but I think it could.
Elder Collyer
Kisumu Kenya
Giant Water Bug
Dear Elder,
This is a Giant Water Bug in the family Belostomatidae. In the U.S. they are also known as Electric Light Bugs since they are attracted to lights, and Toe-Biters because of the painful bite. They are aquatic predators that do not eat tarantulas. They are adept at flying as well as swimming, but are clumsy on the ground. They are found around the world and are eaten in Thailand.
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Posted 25 March 2009
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flying bug, big eyes, scary face
Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 6:58 PM
i was outside, in michigan, today, st pattys day, saw what i thought was a bat… swooping under the streetlight. this bug flew to the ground, and i captured it. large back and wings, 6 legs, including 2 arm looking ones in the front. looks like a stinger in front of its face, below its mouth. 2 huge black eyes. very scary looking. please help. its still alive, captured.
included is a picture of it next to a pack of cigarettes so you can get an idea of the size.
thanks for helping!
davison, michigan
Toe-Biter
Though we have no shortage of Giant Water Bug or Toe-Biter images on our site, your vivid description is a welcome addition to our archives. Thanks for the great letter.
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Posted 18 March 2009
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What kind of but is this?
Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 6:32 AM
I was in Puerto Maldonado, Peru recently and came across this giant insect. A friend of mine there, a local, said that it was a cockroach. Though it sort of looks like one, I’m not convinced.
nate
Peruvian Amazon, Puerto Maldonado
Giant Water Bug
Dear Nate,
People often write to us wanting to get buts identified. This is actually a Giant Water Bug in the family Belostomatidae. The family is well represented around the world. In the U.S . Giant Water Bugs are also known as Toe-Biters or Electric Light Bugs. They are eaten in Thailand.
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Posted 15 March 2009
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water scorpions share meal
Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Hi,
I thought you guys might like this picture I took last year. Over the summer I raised several water scorpions, and these are two of them. They were both eating the same damselfly larva at the same time. I thought that this was a rare moment and snapped several shots. I later realized that the darker one had little egg pouches, or mites of some kind on one of its legs, and that there is another damselfly larva on the lighter one’s back. I hope you guys enjoy this image. Thanks again for the awesome site.
Josh Kouri
Oklahoma
Water Scorpions eat Damselfly Naiad
Hi again Josh,
Thanks for the interesting image of two Water Scorpions feeding on a Damselfly Naiad. It will be an excellent addition to our Food Chain section. We took the liberty of adding Oklahoma to your posting as you did not submit your letter using our new form that requires a location. Adding the location requirement to our online form has saved us the bother of writing back for a location. Please include a location in any future letters.
What is this thing?
Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 7:26 AM
Found this bug by the open overhead door at the metal shop I was working in. It was September I believe. I kept it alive and scooped him up with a piece of paper and took it outside, however the owners son proceeded to smash it repeatedly with a 5 lb dead blow hammer, of course I was wroth with him for it. He smashes all the weird bugs that seem to show up in large numbers around the shop also. Found a luna moth that had been knocked down by a robin, and I saved a praying mantis that was over 4 inches long this fall! Don’t know what this thing is, had small hooks on the end of it’s strange mantis like front legs. Some damage to it in the picture, probably as a result of flying into the stockroom of a metal shop! if you could identify it, I would be grateful.
Matt
Western NY state, USA
Water Scorpion smashed to death
Hi Matt,
We are very sorry to hear that this unfortunate Water Scorpion has been pummelled to death by an insensitive insect hater. The Water Scorpion in the genus Ranatra is a predatory aquatic insect that can fly and is sometimes attracted to lights. Water Scorpions get their name from the painful bite they will deliver if they are mishandled, but the species does not aggressively bite humans.
Pre Historic Roach?
Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 6:31 PM
This bug was found by my father in the laundry. We don’t have trees and bushes, nor earth in our house, but my neighbor has. Hmm.. this is all i know =[
Hope you can tell us what's this bug! It really impressed us. Thanks
Reinaldo Hartmann
Brazil - Porto Velho - Ro
Giant Water Bug in Brazil
Hi Reinaldo,
This is actually a Giant Water Bug. In the U.S., they are commonly called Toe-Biters since they have been known to bite people who swim in lakes and ponds. They don’t aggressively bite humans, but they can deliver a very painful bite if carelessly handled. Giant Water Bugs can fly quite well, and they are attracted to lights, hence the other common name Electric Light Bug. Perhaps there was a light in the laundry room that attracted this specimen.
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Posted 24 November 2008
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WEIRD F%(#!N BUG THING!!! HELP!!!
Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 12:22 AM
So like dude i was in the kitchen and all of a sudden this thing just comes crawling out from under the stove, i was scared man. It’s not exactly the kindest looking bugs. I don’t know anything more than that really, i swooped it up with a dustpan and let it wander outside.
tittysprinkles
My house in Tacoma Washington
Male Giant Water Bug with Eggs
Dear tittysprinkles,
Generally we refrain from editing the letters we receive, but as so many youngsters access our website, we felt compelled to “bleep out” your subject title. This is a male Giant Water Bug in either the genus Abedus or the genus Belostoma. When they mate, the female cements the eggs to the back of the male and he is the primary care giver for the unhatched brood. We are amazed that he was able to fly to your kitchen with that payload on board. Giant Water Bugs are aquatic, but they can fly quite well and they are attracted to electric lights. We suspect there is a body of water nearby that served as a mating habitat for your specimen.
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Posted 19 November 2008
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Giant Water Bug
Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Hi, love this site. I have one here I found in a small local pond, among other water insects. It appears to be a giant water bug. I have looked throughout the site and seen several varieties. It still has no wings, and surfaces to attach a bubble to its sternum before diving back down to the bottom of the aquarium. I am feeding it moths and flies, observed it and other beetles feeding on floating bee remains. Will it eventually crawl out and scare the fiber out of my girlfriend?
thank you
Lanz
Soledad, CA
immature Giant Water Bug
Hi Lanz,
There are three genera of Giant Water Bugs and all three grow wings as adults and can fly. When it matures, your specimen may decide your aquarium doesn’t suit its needs and it may try to fly away. Your specimen is either Abedus or Belostoma. We will try to get some assistance on which genus your specimen belongs to.
immature Giant Water Bug
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Posted 27 October 2008
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Amphibian bug
Sat, Oct 25, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Hi Whats that bug team , This afternoon my husband was cleaning out the pool and found this thing crawling out of it . Its huge and its mean looking , It has to weird thing coming out of its behind whenit gets aggrevated, we’ve never seen anything like this . I hope u can help us figure out whats that bug .
Sorry if the pictures are a bit blurry .
Stevens familly
Saint-constant, Quebec ,Canada
Giant Water Bug
Hi Stevens Family,
The tenant in your pool is a Giant Water Bug or Toe-Biter. Though it is aquatic, it can also fly and is attracted to lights, hence the common name Electric Light Bug. The weird thing coming from its behind is a snorkel-like breathing device.
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Posted 26 October 2008
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Possible Tiger Moth?
Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 8:26 AM
These pictures taken in South Western Ontario, in mid-August. Using a black light and blanket to attract insects. Wondering if these are from the Tiger Moth family based on the tuft of ‘fur’. But i cannot tell what species. Wingspan aproximately 1 – 1.25 inches
Bug-eyed Canadian
South Western Ontario, Canada
Tolype species
Dear Bug-Eyed,
Your moth is in the genus Tolype meaning it is not a Tiger Moth. The genus is part of the family Lasiocampidae, theTent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths. BugGuide shows five species of Tolype, and we don’t feel qualified to identify your specimen to the species level. Though you didn’t request the information, the other insect in your photo looks like a Water Boatman in the family Corixidae.
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Posted 15 October 2008
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Large, dark brown, beetle-like bug with no antenae
We found this bug on the side of the brick house after dark on a warm September evening. My dog was trying to eat it, so we caught it and began trying to identify it without avail. Please help us identify this bug. Our children always like to find new things and learn about what they are. We have found many strange things where we live and love to find out what they are.
Curious family in Northern Utah
Brigham City, Utah (Box Elder County; Northern Utah)
Toe-Biter
Dear Curious Family,
Your visitor is a Giant Water Bug, also known as a Toe-Biter or Electric Light Bug. There is a related species in Thailand that is even larger that is considered edible and frequently eaten. While our own local population would also be edible, until food prices become exorbitantly high, or until food shortages are such that our gluttonous population doesn’t have enough to eat, we doubt many homemakers will be adding Toe-Biters to the dinner menu despite them being high in protein and low in fat.
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Posted 27 September 2008
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Aquatic Mantid Like Creature from Australia
Hi guys,
congratulations on the new site. I came across this guy on the edge of a dam at my property. At first I thought it was just a leaf sticking out of the water but then noticed the eyes. I have never seen anything like it. Any ideas Queensland, Australia
aussietrev
Water Scorpion from Australia
Hi Aussietrev,
What a crazy looking photo of a Water Scorpion. We believe it is in the genus Nepa. Water Scorpions are related to Giant Water Bugs, also known as Toe-Biters. The stinger-like appendage is actually a breathing tube. We hope you have checked out our new site feature, What’s That Bug Down Under? that features our many Australian submissions.
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