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Backswimmer AKA Water Wasp
(06/16/2008) Backswimmer
Hello Bugman--
I found this bug in our pool, and after it freaked out the
kids and I fished it out, I looked on your site. Sure
enough, you had one picture of it, under True Aquatic Bugs.
I thought perhaps maybe a few other pictures of
a Backswimmer might be of use to you. Thanks for helping me
identify it. Also, can't the Chlorine, or other chemicals
in the pool water, kill the bug? Thanks again,
Wendy Richardson
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for sending us another photo of a Backswimmer. One
nagging reader, a Truly Candid Girl, might be annoyed, but
we haven't posted a new photo of a Backswimmer in quite some
time. Backswimmers are in the Family Notonectidae, and more
information can be found on BugGuide
where we just noticed the common names Water Bee or Water
Wasp, undoubtedly a reference to the bite. The chlorine would
probably need to be at a very high concentration to harm the
Backswimmer, though the lack of prey like small aquatic insects
and other invertebrates will ensure that Backswimmers will
not permanently inhabit your pool. Since they fly, they can
come and go at will.
Bug
of the Month: June 2008
Giant Water Bug
(05/25/2008) Beetle?
Hello,
Hoping you can help us to identify this bug. We were having
a memorial day cookout, and someone almost stepped on it -
looks to me like a type of cockroach, or maybe some flavor
of click beetle, but I cannot figure it out for sure. Thanks
for any tips/help :) Seemed to have 2 sets of wings, with
a leathery covering, and it would "bob" it's head
while we were checking it out. It was approximately 3-4 inches
long.
Dan
Electric Light Bug
Unknown Beetle
Hi
We found this beetle on our deck. We have never seen one like
this before and was wondering if we can let it go or if it
is a hazard to this area. We live in Kitchener, Ontario Canada
Thankyou
Dave Crawford
Dear Dan and Dave,
After receiving numerous requests for the identification of
the Giant Water Bug, Lethocerus americanus, in the past week,
we decided to make it the featured Bug of the Month for June
2008. We get requests for the identification of Giant Water
Bugs throughout the year from around the world, including
many from our forces in Iraq. We are writing this posting
on Memorial Day, and can only hope that our letters from Iraq
begin to taper off as our troops return home. It should be
noted that letters sent to us from other places in the world
are different species, but all Giant Water Bugs look very
similar. In Thailand, where they grow very large, they are
eaten, so you can find entries on them on our Edible
Insect pages. One other common name for the Giant Water
Bug is Electric Light Bug because they are attracted, sometimes
in great numbers, to lights. They have been known to decend
in swarms to outdoor sporting events and brightly lit parking
lots. The common name Toe-Biter has just fallen out of favor
with us after we were chastised by a reader for saying that
the bite of the Giant Water Bug (and its relative the Water
Scorpion) is painful. The bite is painful, but these insects
only bite human occasionally. Equally streamlined in the water
and in the air, the Giant Water Bug is quite clumsy on land.
Electric Light Bugs
(05/25/2008) Giant Water Bug swarm
Hi, great site.
I was at work last evening and dozens upon dozens of these
insects began to swarm outside my workplace, attracted to
the lights I suppose. There is a lake not far from where I
work, but it was such a surreal experience to see a relatively
uncommon insect in the area come flying in in droves. I captured
a few, along with a predacious water beetle which was also
crawling about the lot. Just a strange experience, all in
all to see so many crawling about in one place.
Dave,
Timmins Ontario, Canada
Hi Dave,
Thank you for your first hand account which will serve as
an explanation for the common name of Electric Light Bug for
the Giant Water Bug, Lethocerus americanus. The other common
name, Toe Biter, arises because of the occasional bite to
swimmers, and not because the Giant Water Bug targets human
toes. Though bites are occasional, they are reportedly painful,
so the Giant Water Bug should be handled with care.
Male
Toe Biter carrying Eggs
(05/19/2008) baby mantids, toe biter, and painted lady butterfly
Hello! First, I'd like to let you know that my kids
and I are huge fans of your site! My four year old son,
in particular, is quite the insect enthusiast and loves to
look at the photos on your site. We don't need help identifying
the insects in the attached photos, but thought you might
like them. We had a praying mantis egg case that hatched
just this morning. It was so exciting to wake up and
find hundreds of adorable baby mantids waiting for us! I
took a couple of photos before we released them into our garden.
I'd also ordered some painted lady caterpillars, which the
kids and I raised and had a lot of fun observing. I
took a photo of one before we released it, also this morning.
Finally, yesterday I took the kids to a local park where we
caught this incredible toe biter. We'd only ever seen
them in books, so we were thrilled to observe a live specimen.
Thanks to your site, we know it's a male with the eggs
cemented to his back. We gave him a couple of tadpoles
in case he gets hungry, but so far he's left them alone. The
toe biter got to spend the day at preschool with my son, and
after dinner we're going to take him back to the park. Our
question is, can a toe biter fly when he has eggs stuck to
his back? Thanks so much for the amazing site! We've
all got our fingers crossed that at least one of our photos
makes it onto the site. You don't want to disappoint
a four year old, do you? We know you're really busy
this time of year--keep up the great work!
The Ganino Family
Ps We live in Connecticut, near the shoreline!
Dear Ganino Family,
The problem with using strictly common names for identification
purposes is that they tend to overlap. Your Toe Biter is in
the genus Belostoma, smaller individuals than the more commonly
submitted larger Lethocerus species. The Lethocerus do not
cement the eggs to the back of the male like the Belostoma
do. Males cannot fly while the eggs are being carried about.
Toe-Biter goes for the tennis shoes
(05/14/2008) How about this monster any help identifying?
I've been browsing through pictures and just haven't found
one like it yet. Any help would be appreciated!
We found this guy out in the driveway last night...quite a
surprise!
Mike
 
Hi Mike,
The Giant Water Bug is sometimes called an Electric Light
Bug or a Toe-Biter. We feel compelled to include this recent
letter in our response even though it concerns a different
species. While this bug is known as a Toe-Biter, and while
it can produce a painful bite, it is not an aggressive species.
Readers Comment: (05/12/2008) Giant water
Beetle bites
Dear friends;
I've enjoyed your site immensely and have recently come across a
specimen of Ranatra Fusca, the water scorpion. I was just
thinking of how the public is terribly alarmed at insects
that bite. I've never been bitten by an aquatic insect but I
have cut my toe badly on a hidden piece of broken glass in
the mud and have experienced nasty bites from a rabbit, cat,
dog, a horse, and a ferret. A human, (Homo sapien or more
commonly known as "ultimus stupidimus") can deliver a very
painful bite because the teeth are dull and have the same
effect as clenching the flesh with a pair of pliers. The point
here is that most of the smaller creatures are relatively
defenseless and easily killed. This business of bites has
to be seen in a larger, sensible context. As Mark Twain aptly
stated, "Man can learn a lot from the higher animals." All
the best,
Paul Marshall
Barrie Ontario, Canada
Water
Scorpion eats Damselfly
(05/06/2008) weird water bug
Hi Bugman,
I love your site! I took this photo last July 15 in
southeast Michigan. I was trying to get a shot of those
damselflies when I noticed that weird thing under the lily
pad that appeared to be eating one of them. It was in
a small man-made pond at a botanical garden. I'm not
even sure where to look for it in your archives, so I'm going
straight to you. Any idea what it is?
Martha H.
Ann Arbor, M
hi Martha,
Wow, what an awesome image of a Water Scorpion in the genus
Ranatra eating a Damselfly while other Damselflies sit unaware.
Interestingly, this is the third photo of a Water Scorpion
submitted to our site today.
Water Scorpion
(05/06/2008) Assassin Bug Species?
Found this little cutie in the North Georgia Mountains 5/4/08
at about 3000 feet. If I remember correctly the body was about
1-1.5 inches long, with the legs and oviposter maybe three
inches. Looks similar to the Thread-legged Assassin
Bug on your pages. Am I close? Any info on the natural
history of it? Thx...
Greg in Dahlonega, Georgia
 
Hi Greg,
It is easy to confuse the Water Scorpion in your photo with
a Thread Legged Bug. Your Water Scorpion is in the genus Ranatra,
and BugGuide
has many wonderful images, but none as nice as yours.
Second
Water Scorpion photo today
(05/06/2008) Water Scorpion
I had a chain of toad eggs in my "cement pond"
and there were a family of these bugs congregated around them.
(It seemed some had eggs in their pinchers!) I looked
at your sight and found them to be water scorpions.
One was about 4 inches long so I put it aside for a photo
session. My question is, "Do these guys eat toad
eggs?"
Katherine
Hi Katherine,
This is the second image of a Water Scorpion in the genus
Ranatra we received today. The first was from Georgia and
yours is from parts unknown. We believe that Water Scorpions
might prefer moving prey, but your observation indicates that
they may eat toad eggs.
Toe-Biter
from Iraq
(05/03/2008) Toe Biter
Here are the picture of the toe-biter we found in our building
one morning. I wrote you a week or so ago, but didn't have
the photos that we took. It looked like someone had stepped
on him :-(. He was very awkward and slow. But it sounds like
that is typical for this little guy. I'm not sure what he
was doing so far from a water source, there is a river around
here, but maybe 5 miles away. Thanks for having such a great
site, you see a lot of strange critters in Iraq, and your
website is very helpful. We actually saw a camel spider today,
he was probably 4 inches long, and very fast! I have sent
the video along as well in a separate email, the guys at work
were having some fun with him, but he escaped under the port
a potty. Have a good day!
Patricia Winn
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for sending us your Toe-Biter image. We get numerous
images of Toe-Biters, also called Giant Water Bugs or Electric
Light Bugs, from around the world, including the U.S. Please
return home safely and soon.
Water
Scorpion from Australia
(04/23/2008) Two giant Water Bugs
Hi
I was out at the pool, doing my weekly maintenance, which
starts with fishing out the leaves with my net. Suddenly I
saw an ugly creature swimming in my pool doing what looked
like an up and under and having a wonderful time. So I fished
it out and dumped it on the side. I carried on looking for
leaves and what the....... I saw another one! So I fished
him out too. I put my daughters' pink bucket over them and
headed for my computer. And that's when I found your site
and also when I believed I got myself a couple of giant water
bugs. So I went back and picked them up (on a bit of card,
I'm not into nasty bites) and put them in an old roasted
nuts and raisins jar, as you do. Then I took some
photos. I thought you might like them for your website. By the
way I am in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. I've only been
here five months after emigrating from the UK, so I'm getting
to know the wildlife. I showed my pictures to the local pool
shop man and he has never seen anything like them, so
I guess the're unusual around here. Do they often travel in
pairs? Thanks
BobinOz
 
Hi BobinOz,
These are actually Water Scorpions, not Giant Water Bugs.
They resemble the North American genus Nepa, and we would
bet that they belong to that genus. Just over a year ago,
we received an image from New South Wales of this particular
species, also in a pool. They do not travel in pairs, but
they may have been attracted by pheromones if they are different
sexes, or if they are same sexed, they were probably just
attracted to the inviting environment of your pool.
Toe-Biter from Iraq
(04/11/2008) Toe Biter
I'm currently in Iraq on my 2nd tour and found this guy walking
around our hanger. After snapping a few photos I went about
the task of trying to identify it. Found out that its a toe
biter. Good thing I didnt let my hands get to close. I set
him free when I was done to prevent someone from killing him.
Well the next night I came to work, I found him squished on
the ground. I will keep looking for more now. We have Dung
Beetles here too if you want a pic I will get one for your
site.
Jerrad
Hi Jerrad,
Thanks for sending your photo of a Toe-Biter. We look forward
to getting your Dung Beetle image. We also want to wish you
a safe and speedy return home.
Toe-Biter: Sprayed with Insecticide
(04/08/2008) Spastic Attacker?
Hello Bugman,
i came into work this morning and this big bug was just waiting
for me. He can fly, he is two and a half inches in length.
He has claws that you can see in the picture what is he?????!!!!
he ambushed me by flying but he was moving too fast and hit
the garbage can. He then proceeded to walk around as in a
daze. i ran to get the raid. so this is him dead,(sorry had
too). We are located in South Florida, Sunrise to Be exact
near the Everglades. we also use many chemicals in our facility...is
this some weird mutation? whatever it is it scared the living
crap out of me. Thank you,
Andy Kake
Hi Andy,
This impressive insect is a Giant Water Bug or Electric Light
Bug, though our favorite name for it is a Toe-Biter. They
will bite, and the bite is painful, but they are really harmless.
In our mind, this is a case of Unnecessary Carnage. Toe-Biters
are aquatic insects, and in the event you are interested,
they are edible and considered delicacies in Thailand.
Giant Water Bug from Australia
(02/17/2008) wrongfully accused cockroach
Earlier today at the ungodly hour of 7:30 am when all sane
people are just going to bed, my younger sister saw fit to
burst into my room claiming she had just found a 'giant cockroach'
on the driveway and required my assistance in removing it.
I knew it was not a house cockroach as soon as I saw it, but
any identification more precise than that evades me. The days
of my etymological expertise (ages 6 through 12) are long
gone now, so I felt I my need some assistance in naming this
particular bug. I apologise if the photos are not as clear
as they could have been, he is feeling a little camera shy
and scurries to the other side of the ice-cream box whenever
the camera flashes, so they are a little blurred. Thanks for
your help,
Franko,
Queensland, Australia
Hi Franko,
In America, the Giant Water Bug is known as the Toe-Biter,
a well earned name, but we were curious if any colorful local
names are used in Australia, so we researched. The Wildlife
os Sydney site uses another name common in America, the
Electric Light Bug, but also calls it the Giant Fish Killer.
Lethocerus insulanus is found in nearly all parts of Australia..
The other Toe-Biter
(01/19/2008) Strange water bug near Tucson
Hello Bugman!
Thanks a lot for informing me on the Dolomedes spider! First
described 1973 - really rare arachnid, as it seems! In a pool
nearby some of these poor creatures were swimming - in a pond
one inch deep! The sun was shining directly onto them; and
they could only hide under some small rocks. I don't know
if they made it to the next monsoon season. I took this guy
and threw him into a larger pool with lots of amphibia larvae.
Hope he didn't eat 'em all up! Do you have any idea what kind
of water bug that might me? About 3 cm long; and with a fang
of at least 4 mm, as I observed on a dead speciman. Thanks
a lot!
Greetings from Daniel Jestrzemski
 
Hi Daniel,
This is a Giant Water Bug in the family Belostomatidae. They
are frequently called Toe-Biters. This is not one of the species
in the genus Lethocerus, the most frequent submissions to
our site. We believe this is Abedus indentatus, but sadly,
there is only one image on BugGuide
of a male encrusted with eggs and that image does not show
the outline of the insect. Charles Hogue describes the species
in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, but once again, the image
is of a male encrusted with eggs. If this is not Abedus indentatus,
then it is in the genus Belostoma, also pictured on BugGuide.
Our reasons for believing this to be Adedus as opposed to
Belostoma are based on the shape of your specimen. The abdomen
is rounded as opposed to pointed and the thorax of your specimen
is shaped differently than Belostoma as well. Perhaps when
Eric Eaton contacts us, the mystery will be solved.
Daniel:
I believe the toe-biter in question is in the genus Abedus.
Not sure how many species there are in California.
Eric
Water Scorpion
(01/09/2008) Water Bug? January? In Michigan????
I went to one of our pet stores to get a couple of fish. I
saw in the tank a wierd looking but that looked like a walking
stick in the water, I know nothing so I didn't even know what
to say. All I said was, "Can I have that thing?"
They had no idea what it was and they told me to go ahead
and take it. What is this thing?
Melissa
Hi Melissa,
This is a Water Scorpion in the genus Ranatra.
You don't want to keep it with your fish as it is a predator
that might eat them.
Thai
Treats: Roasted Giant Water Bugs
(01/07/2008) Giant Water Bugs
I have enjoyed reading your informational site. I borrowed
one of your photos to illustrate the portion of meat I ate
when stationed in Thailand in 1969. The Giant Water
Bugs were collected under the street lights at the Korat Air
Base, in central Thailand. The native guards would roast
them over a little campfire. They taught me to stick
a bamboo skewer into the abdomen and slowly roast them. They
peeled the exoskeleton behind the head to reveal a tasty morsel
of white meat. The taste reminded me of a small sweet
scallop. The guard did not have me eat the whole bug, but
I understand they can be fried or roasted and eaten whole.
At the time the locals called them Baht Bugs because
the people could sell them for 1 Baht each at the market.
The value was 5 cents at the time. That was fairly
valuable since a man working hard labor in the hot sun would
only make 15 cents per hour. Our guard supplemented
his income by collecting dozens of the Water Bugs, putting
them in burlap bags.
I forgot to add my name Thanks for maintaining such a great
website.
Lucky Ketcham
San Diego, CA
Hi Lucky,
Thanks for the great anecdote. We will post your letter to
our Edible Insects page.
Toe-Biters
in the Swimming Pool
(11/09/2007) Giant Water Bugs
We found some of these in our pool today when we were closing
it up for the winter. How do we get rid of them so they
won’t be there next year when we open it back up for
the season?
Jay & Charline Everson
Gilmanton IW, New Hampshire
Hi Jay,
There is not much that you can do to keep your swimming pool
from appearing desireable to Giant Water Bugs, or as we like
to call them, Toe-Biters. Giant Water Bugs can fly quite well,
so next year, you may get a whole new population when you
uncover the pool.
Toe-Biter
(10/10/2007) who am I
I found this guy walking across the softball field where I
was umpireing in minneapolis tell me is it dangerous or should
I let him go? Thanks
Dan
Hi Dan,
This is a Giant Water Bug, also called a Toe-Biter, because
they are known to bite the toes and other body parts of unwary
swimmers and waders, or Electric Light Bugs, because they
are attracted to electric lights at night. Because we cannot
imagine that your softball game was in a marsh, we are guessing
it was a night game and this Giant Water Bug was attracted
to the strong night lights on the field. Our big curiousity
remains though, however do you find the time to work on quilting
while umpiring a game? Or perhaps, a quilter's Omnigrid serves
some other purpose during a softball game? Though the bite
of a Toe-Biter is quite painful, they are not dangerous to
humans.
Chinese
Water Scorpion
(09/30/2007) Water Scorpion, Toe Biter
Hi, I currently live in China and found this guy. Thanks to
your site I think I've indentified him as a toe biter, but
thought you might like the photo. The body was around 3",
not including the snorkel, tail thing.
Jeremy Daum, Kunming, Yunnan, China
Hi Jeremy,
This is a Water Scorpion in the genus Nepa. Thanks for sending
us your photo.
Water Scorpion
(09/21/2007) Water walking stick
Hello, Bugman -
Enjoyed your web page in the search for an ID for a bug. Our
friends found this critter (photo attachment) in the
pond in their back yard in South Carolina in August.
It doesn't seem to have the two-stripes you describe on your
web page for the Anisomorpha buprestoides , plus it was quite
at home in the pool rather than on a tree. What exact
species/genus is this and what else can you tell me about
it? Is it a type of scorpion? While I'm at it, they
also do not know what type of yellow spider this is, also
from their back yard (photo attached). Thanks!
Heidi/Where on Earth?
www.tellmewhereonearth.com
Hi Heidi,
We had to visit your website and have to admit we find it
terribly tempting. You just might be getting an order from
us in the near future for Insects in Amber or perhaps Christian
Dior tails. What we would really like to find is a replacement
set of antique tuxedo studs and cufflinks that were rhinestone
studded Art Nouveau flies that somehow vanished from our possession
over 15 years ago. Your mystery water insect is in fact called
a Water Scorpion. It is in the genus Ranatra. The spider is
Nephila clavipes, the Golden Silk Spider.
Toe-Biters
and other Insect Fast Food in Thailand
(09/20/2007) Rescuing fish...!
Hi Daniel,
Many thanks for sparing your time to identify my whipscorpion.
The poor little thing was probably snoozing somewhere nice
and dry under the big pot - I feel guilty now about putting
it back in the waterlogged yard ! Looking at the all the whipscorpion
pics, it looks like I found one of the less scary looking
ones! On a slightly different tack, you mention elsewhere
that toe-biters are a delicacy in Thailand, so I thought I'd
send you a couple of photos of these tasty snacks at a roadside
stall in Bangkok. Mmmm...Yummy ! ( Actually that's me quoting
somebody else. ) Also, I've just looked at the ' About WTB
' for the first time, and am delighted to find you're not
nerdy boffins, but outrageeous artists !! Love the I da Ho
sweater ! Cheers,
Graham.
Hi again Graham,
Thank you so much for adding to our Edible Insect archive
with your Toe-Biter Fast Food images.
Potfull of Toe-Biters
(09/11/2007) Unknown Bug
Hello
We have these bugs that just show up this time of year. We
live just out of Dawson Creek B.C. Canada. They don't live
long as it gets cold at night. We have checked the web and
can't seem to find what they are. I think they come
with the warm winds we get this time of year. One got on my
husband finger when he was taking the pictures and he said
it felt like it had little barbs like a blade of grass. It
sure would be nice to find out what they are. Thanks
Debbie
Hi Debbie,
We find your potfull of Toe-Biters, or Giant Water Bugs, quite
amusing. Larger relatives of the American species are eaten
as a delicacy in Thailand.
Toe-Biter Absconds with Quarter
(08/27/2007) Creeepy!
OK what is this thing. This jumbo sized beetle-thingy
was going toe-to-toe with my cat for a while and the scary
part is I wasn't sure who was going to win. I managed to rescue
the it once the cat backed off and put it outside
but it seems to have taken some serious damage as it no longer
wants to move or do much. But living up here in Maine
I rarely see bugs this large.
Brent
Hi Brent,
This is a Giant Water Bug or Toe-Biter. This is one of several
images we have received lately with what appears to be Toe-Biters
making off with cash.
Giant
Water Bug
(08/20/2007) Bug Identification
Hello,
I live in Nova Scotia, Canada and I took this photo by a stream
in my neighbourhood. I have looked on your site and it appears
to be a giant water bug, but this one was only approximately
the size of a thumb nail. I have grown up around brooks and
lakes and this was the first and only time that I have ever
seen one of these bugs. Is it possible that it's just an immature
bug or this is a different species altogether? Thanks.
Lindsay
Hi Lindsay,
Not only are there different species of Giant Water Bugs,
there are different genera as well. This looks like a member
of the genus Belostoma whose representatives are much smaller
than those in Lethocerus.
Toe-Biter on a Dollar Bill
(08/12/2007) Giant Waterbug
Hey Bug man,
i saw all the pics of water bugs and thought i would send
in my pic of the notorious "Laredo, Texas Toe Bitter".
NO Bugs were harmed during photo shoot!
R.Brand
Hi R. Brand,
What an interesting use of scale to demonstrate the size of
the Giant Water Bug or Toe-Biter.
Eric Eaton is also amused!!!
(08/13/2007)
Daniel: This just in: Super aggressive toe-biters are now
assaulting humans and taking their money! Film at eleven.
LOL! I love the image of the giant water bug on the dollar
bill. I wonder if the submitter simply volunteered the money,
or if the water bug was packing heat? Hahahaha! Have a great
week. Oh, the field guide is going into a second printing.
Already!
Eric
Water Scorpion
(07/16/2007) Water Scorpion (& photo)
Hey Bug man,
Thanks for helping me identify the water scorpion (Ranatra)
I found in my pool! I think I got a fairly decent shot
of it, considering it was under water
Henry
Hi Henry,
We haven't received an image of a Ranatra Water Scorpion in
nearly a year. Your photo is a much welcome addition to our
site.
Mating Backswimmers
(06/26/2007) Mating Water beetles?
Been a while, but here is one I just couldn't pass up! We
have these little guys in our pool all the time in NW Indiana,
yet this was the first time I saw some amourous activities
happening..... These little beetles can fly if they are out
of the water long, and were coupled for many minutes and not
really interested in my closeups.. Hope you enjoy!
Michael Kovacs
Hi Michael,
These are Backswimmers and they are not beetles. They are
True Bugs with piercing mouthparts in the family Notonectidae.
Thanks for sending us your wonderful image.
Male Giant Water Bug with Eggs
(06/13/2007) Water bug with eggs (and others)
Thanks for posting my Polyphemus picture! Here are some others
you might like. One is a picture of a large water beetle of
some kind. I believe it is the male bug, and the female has
laid her eggs on his back. Do you know what it is? Also, I
have included a shot of what I believe to be a Woolly Bear
caterpillar, though I have never seen a "blonde"
one before! Is my identification correct? The dragonfly picture
I have attached is of a male Spangled Skimmer eating some
other bug for breakfast. Lastly, I have included a picture
of a Praying Mantis egg case, with the baby insects emerging.
All of these pictures were taken at Goose Pond Mountain State
Park in Chester, NY (southern NY). Thanks again!
Kat
Hi Kat,
Thanks for submitting your other images. We do not have the
time nor the wherewithall to deal with multispecies letters.
Should you decide to submit anything in the future, please
only submit photos of one species per letter. Forced to choose,
we decided to post your male Giant Water Bug, Belostoma lutarium.
The female cements the eggs onto the back of the male. This
species shares the names Giant Water Bug, Toe-Biter and Electric
Light Bug with the more frequently seen Lethocerus americanus.
Taunting a Toe-Biter in Iraq
(06/09/2007) Toe Biter
My friend and I found this while walking late at night. We're
in Iraq, based in Balad Air Base. He was basking in the light
of a standalone, stadium light, generator. He was pretty unresponsive
for the first few touches, then he started to run away. I
have a short video of him crawling across the ground if you
would like.
Nicholas
Hi Nicholas,
We bet you wouldn't be taunting that Toe-Biter that way in
your bare feet. Though ungainly on land, Giant Water Bugs
are extremely efficient swimmers and quite aerodynamic in
flight as well. They have earned their common name due to
the painful bite experienced by chance encounters with swimmers.
We have been wanting a compelling new photo of a Toe-Biter
for our homepage because this is one of the insects that are
constantly featured there, along with Pseudoscorpions and
House Centipedes.
Male Predatory Water Bug with Eggs
(05/19/2007) Toe Biter?
Not sure but I guess its a Toe Biter.All the pics I saw didn't
have any eggs so Im sending you this cool pic. Found it in
a pond in Gulfport Mississippi.
David Cox
Gulfport MS
Hi David,
This is a Predatory Water Bug and it has many of the same
common names as the more commonly photographed genus Lethocerus,
including Giant Water Bug, Electric Light Bug and Toe-Biter.
This is however a different genus, Belostoma. Males of this
genus carry the eggs which the female cements onto his back.
Toe-Biter with Mites
(05/10/2007) Help ID of Bug
Hi- Please help me identify this bug! It's HUGE! It was 3
inches long when a ruler was placed next to him. I pulled
him out of my pool filter- he's still alive, and really creeped
me out! He has some red stuff growing on him. Thanks!
Maria Juliano in New York
Hi Maria,
This is a Giant Water Bug also known as a Toe-Biter. The red
growth are probably immature Mites. Here is a reader's response
the last time we got a photo of a Toe-Biter with Mites:
Mites on the toe-biter?
Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne,
About the email on the Toe Biter from Tom on (01/27/2007)
who talks about having 12 red mites on his Toe Biter? I remember
seeing mites on aquatic insects, looking suspicious, and so
I looked it up, and it turns out that *all* of the more than
5,000 known species of aquatic mites (Hydracarina) are partly
parasitic. When they are larvae, aquatic mites are parasitic
on aquatic insects, but as adults the mites become free-swimming
and predatory. Winged aquatic insects, such as the toe biters,
fly around of course, and that way the mites are spread from
one body of water to another. You can read a lot more interesting
stuff about them at:
http://www.tolweb.org/Parasitengona
And at :
http://www.tolweb.org/Hydracarina
Best to you as always,
Susan J. Hewitt
Toe-Biter
(05/01/2007) Do you know what this bug is???
Here's a challenge for you. We live in Ontario, Canada and
have a cottage NE of Kingston. Do you know what this bug is?
It's quite large. Thanks for any help you can provide.
If you really want to challenge us, don't send one of
the top 5 query subjects we receive. Toe-Biters, like your
specimen, along with House Centipedes, Potato Bugs, Hummingbird
Moths and Dobsonflies, represent a significant percentage
of our identification requests. Toe-Biters are also known
as Giant Water Bugs and Electric Light Bugs.
Wow! Did we know where to go to get an expert opinion!!! Thank
you so much. Believe it or not, we've been going to the cottage
on Beaver Lake since 1958 and NOBODY has seen this bug until
last year when we found it in the eavestrough near the night
light. Coincidentally another friend who has a cottage in
the Muskoka region came across one recently and he asked us
what it was. To make a long story short, we searched the web
for quite some time unsuccessfully until a google search led
us to you. Since your email we've learned quite a bit about
this Giant Water Bug and a healthy respect for it as well.
Thanks again for your help!
Giant Water Bug from Iraq
(04/25/2007) Bug found in Iraq
Could you tell me what this bug is? Found while serving in
Iraq.
Thanks
Fran
Hi Fran,
This is a Giant Water Bug. They are known as Toe-Biters stateside.
Toe-Biter
(04/22/2007) Low Priority: additional Giant Water Bug pics
Hi there, thank you for your site! Very nice! I don't need
help identifying this fellow having recently learned what
it is, but I thought I'd pass along a couple of pics. (Don't
feel obligated to respond, seeing as I know what it is and
you have loads of pics already, but you certainly may if you
wish.) I was quite comfortably holding this critter well before
learning about the painful bite it could have inflicted. (Phew,
lucky me.) Finding it rather docile, and not seeing any scary
looking mandible-type parts, I thought it'd be pretty safe
to pick up and look over. It was actually just "hanging
out" on my sweater as I was searching info. online. I
liked the big, praying mantis-like eyes and strong front arms.
Very neat. I found it, like in another post I read - in a
WalMart parking lot - at night, in Napanee, Ontario, Canada.
Sandra Reid
Hi Sandra,
How could we help but to post your submission. It has all
the necessary qualities. It is polite, informative, personal,
and has an awesome image. Thanks for sending it our way.
Toe-Biter
(04/21/2007) what is this bug?
Please tell me what this beetle is. Found it here in Saratoga
New York.
Douglas Correll
Hi Douglas,
This is a Toe-Biter or Giant Water Bug or Electric Light Bug.
We get countless requests for identifications of this species
and its close relatives from around the world. We always have
a photo of a Toe-Biter on our homepage to help address the
volume of inquiries. Your photo will be that photo until we
post a new letter and image.
Water Scorpion
(04/17/2007) We found it in the pool
We found this in the pool in Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley
in NSW, Australia - I have never seen one before and hope
to never again.
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for sending us you most awesome photo of a Water
Scorpion in the genus Nepa. We often get photos of their relatives,
Water Scorpions in the genue Ranatra as well as Giant Water
Bugs known as Toe Biters, but we rarely get these broader
Water Scorpions in the genus Nepa. They are not deadly, but
the bite is quite painful.
Toe
Biter in a Chocolate Factory
(03/22/2007) Yuck BIG bug!
Dear Bugman,
Our two chocolate labs made a new playmate lastnight with
this huge bug. It's roughly 3 inches long and the biggest
bug I've seen outside of a zoo. We live on a farm near Kalamzoo,
MI. Is this bug from our area? If so, what kind of bug is
it?
Thanks,
Annette
Hi Annette,
I hope none of you late night chocolate factory workers were
running around in open-toe shoes. That might have been a bit
too tempting for this Toe Biter or Giant Water Bug.
?Como se dice "Toe Biter" en Español?
(03/22/2007) Toe Biter?
We saw this frightening thing while vacationing in Ixtapa,
Mexico. It was aggressive and about 5-6 inches long and found
near the beach. Is it a toe biter? We have video if it would
help!
Shawn & Steffy
Hi Shawn and Steffy,
This is most certainly a Giant Water Bug. We would love to
know if there is a colorful Spanish name for the Toe Biter.
When we asked a local what it was, he said something along
the lines of "cincero" or "cincera", but we weren't able to
find a translation for it!
Toe Biter
(03/07/2007) Whats this bug?
It flies, and has enormous eyes. Can you tell me what this?
I have never seen it around here before
Joel
Hi Joel,
The Toe Biter or Giant Water Bug is one of the most common
query subjects to be submitted to our site for identification.
We have numerous images and much information on two dedicated
pages.
Toe Biter with Mites
(01/27/2007) whats that bug on my bug
This is by far my favorite web site! I have a giant ferocious
water-bug in a 10 gallon tank, just as you had suggested to
that lady 2 months ago. He is more fascinating than any bug
I have ever had...my Potato bug used to eat crickets like
they were cheeseburgers. Anyway, there are half a pin head
size, red bugs starting to multiply on his back, though they
do not look like the photo of eggs you have and it has taken
2 months for the one we could barely see swimming around in
the tank to securely attach itself to our bug and multiply
into about 12. Any guesses? I will try to get a macro photo
of them, but here is one of my favorites...
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your nice letter. Your Toe Biter sounds like it
might be carrying mites around.
Mites on the toe-biter?
Hi Daniel and Lisa Ann,
About the email on the Toe Biter from Tom on (01/27/2007)
who talks about having 12 red mites on his Toe Biter? I remember
seeing mites on aquatic insects, looking suspicious, and so
I looked it up, and it turns out that *all* of the more than
5,000 known species of aquatic mites (Hydracarina) are partly
parasitic. When they are larvae, aquatic mites are parasitic
on aquatic insects, but as adults the mites become free-swimming
and predatory. Winged aquatic insects, such as the toe biters,
fly around of course, and that way the mites are spread from
one body of water to another. You can read a lot more interesting
stuff about them at:
http://www.tolweb.org/Parasitengona
And at :
http://www.tolweb.org/Hydracarina
Best to you as always,
Susan J. Hewitt
Toe Biter in Angola
(11/27/2006) Friends for breakfast
These are some pictures of some bugs that came in to visit
for breakfast the other morning. Any idea of the correct name?
I would think that it is some part of the beetle family as
many of the critters over here are. It is coming up on time
for the invasion of the Bombardier Beetles, or "Acid
Bugs" as we call them, due to the serious burns they
inflict. Happy hunting!Regards,
Kearney R. Walters
Malongo, Cabinda, Angola
 
Hi Kearney,
Giant Water Bugs, or Toe Biters as they are called in the
U.S., are not beetles, but true bugs. They are aquatic predators
that also fly quite well. They will bite if provoked, so those
gloves were a smart idea.
Toe Biter in Ocean
(11/26/2006) Bug found at the beach
Found this guy today laying on his back at Crane Beach in
Massachusetts. We turned him the right way, but the tide kept
coming in and turning him on his back. Sorry I couldn't get
a better picture. It looked strange to me seeing this bug
in the ocean, but maybe it isn't so strange? Thanks!
This isn't the first report we have gotten of Toe Biters
or Giant Water Bugs being found in the ocean. They are aquatic,
and might be at home in salt water, or perhaps they accidentally
found themselves in the sea. At any rate, Giant Water Bugs
are found throughout the world and will bite painfully if
mishandled.
Toe-Biter from Dominican Republic
(10/23/2006) Toe Biter On Beach!
Hello
Whilst holidaying in the Dominican Republic we came across
this fella on the beach. When we got home we searched the
Internet and found out from your (very good) site that it's
a Giant Water Bug. He/she was incredibly aggressive; when
we went near it, it raised those pincers at us so we kept
our distance but still managed to get this photo and a few
others. Looking at your site it appears they live in freshwater;
could this one have lived in the sea? There was no freshwater
nearby. Even the locals looked intrigued at it!
Thanks very much
Neil Williams (Birmingham, England)
Hi Neil,
There are different species of Giant Water Bugs in many parts
of the world. We are not sure if any will swim in salt water.
As they can fly great distances, it is possible it flew from
a pond several miles away.
Water
Treader or Broad Shouldered Water Striders?
(10/21/2006) veliidae?
hi,
Two pictures, from two different days, of different-looking
critters on the surface of the pond in the shallows. I'm guessing
these are all broad-shouldered water striders, but the mating
pair is a little less clear. Could they be something else?
best
greg
 
Hi Greg,
We do not possess the necessary skills to take this to the
species level, but we agree with your identification in the
Family Veliidae, the Broad Shouldered Water Striders. The
coloration of the mating pair does not match anything on BugGuide.
We haven't bothered Eric Eaton in a bit, so we will see if
he has an opinion. Here is what Eric wrote: "You are probably
correct, but aquatic insects, especially the more 'minor'
families, are not creatures I am terribly familiar with. There
is at least one other family closely related to Veliidae that
you might want to check. Eric"
Ed Note: Water Treaders perhaps (11/04/2006)
In trying to identify another water creature, we discovered
the Water Treaders in the genus Mesovelia on BugGuide
and now believe that to be the correct identification on these
insects.
Electric
Light Bug
(10/19/2006) Toe Biter
Hi,
came across several of these guys in the parking lot of a
local supermarket. Thanks for helping with the identification
as Toe Biters - we had never seen such before and having them
fly into you at speed before scuttling off was quite shocking.
Usual for them to be out and about in upstate New York in
mid October?
Lat: 41°56'48.77"N
Long: 73°54'1.63"W
Andy
Hi Andy,
We believe that Toe Biters will overwinter under the ice and
fly on warm days, hence they are often spotted early in the
year as well as late in the season. They are also called Electric
Light Bugs, probably the reason they were in the parking lot.
Backswimmer
(10/15/2006) Diving water bug
These are in my swimming pool by the hundreds. They swim around
and dive to the bottom of the pool, using those log legs in
the back. What the #$%^! are they?
Robert
Hi Robert,
We see from your subsequent email that you have identified
your Backswimmer
and provided a link with information.
Backswimmer
(09/23/2006) water bug?
Hello,
I found several of these bugs in my pond (located in Northern
NJ) while doing repairs to it today. It tends to swim to the
bottom and bury itself under the rocks or it floats to the
top. They are all about 1 inch or less in length. Since restoring
the pond last year (it was filled in 25 ago) several species
have returned including this guy and I would like to know
if it a pest or friend? If it is a pest, what other insect,
bird, etc can I attract to control them? Thanks!
Mike
Hi Mike,
This is a Backswimmer, a Water Bug in the family Notonectidae.
They are predators that eat insects that fall into the water
as well as aquatic insects, tadpoles and small fish.
Giant Water Bug
(09/12/2006) Southern Saskatchewan toe-biter
Here's some pictures of him, since you seem to like them.
I noticed him out having a stroll on my deck. I do have a
pond in the back yard but have never seen anything like this
before. I was able to identify it by referencing pictures
on your super awesome site! My shoe is a size 8 by the way.
Kris
Hi Kris,
Thanks for sending us a nice sharp photo. We are getting Toe-Biter
photos much later in the season this year, perhaps because
of global warming.
Toe-Biter
(09/10/2006) ???
We found this one morning on our porch in Mt. Pleasant, SC.
What IS this thing? I’ve browsed your site fairly thoroughly,
and still haven’t a clue. Our cat was trying to play
with it, but I think it possible it might have eaten her instead.
M.D.
Dear M.D.
Some letters we receive are full of praise at how easy our
site is to navigate, and others, like yours, claim difficulty
identifying creatures that we specifically target for easy
location. On the top of our homepage is a paragraph (which
requires reading) that mentions several creatures that are
common query subjects and contains links to those pages. One
is the Giant Water Bug or Toe-Biter, the subject of your photograph.
Additionally, certain creatures always have a presence on
our homepage, and once again, the Toe-Biter is one of them.
Scrolling down the homepage will reveal a photograph that
was submitted several weeks ago.
Toe-Biter
(09/07/2006) What in the World?
This nasty looking thing showed up on our back porch in Pearland,
Texas (actually flew in). We have not been able to figure
out what in the world it is. We just moved to this area and
have never seen anything like it. Any idea what it is and
if it is dangerous? I appreciate any info you can give me.Thank
you,
Angie
Hi Angie,
Giant Water Bugs are commonly called Toe-Biters, and they
will bite. The bite is painful, but they are not dangerous.
Toe-Biter
(08/24/2006) What is this bug?
This was in one of the tires around our dock in northern minnesota.
You can see the dock pole--which is about as big as chain
link fence post--in the picture to give you an idea of the
size.
Rusty in MN
Hi Rusty,
In summers past, we have gotten daily requests for Toe-Biter
identifications. This summer, there is a noticeable shortage
of letters with images of Toe-Biter. This summer is the summer
of the Cicada Killer and logically, the Cicada. Toe-Biters
are Giant Water Bugs and are also known as Electric Light
Bugs. Lethocerus americanus is aquatic, but also a very adept
flier. As the common name implies, it can give a painful bite
to the unwary swimmer. They are aquatic predators.
Water
Scorpion and Wood Wasp
(09/17/2006) wasp and borer beetle and water scorpion?
Hi,
I am sending a few photos to you for identification. The first
is a wasp that seemed to be trying to lay eggs in a crevice
in my shoe when I stopped to rest while hiking. Is that what
it is doing? The beetle I assume to be some kind of tree eating
critter but don't know what kind. It was in mixed conifer
forest in some mountains in AZ. The photo was taken when he
landed on the window of my Jeep. And I am also sending a photo
of what I believe you identified for someone else as a water
scorpion. You mention that they bite, but we were handling
them and they didn't hurt us, perhaps we were very lucky!
Thanks for your excellent website!
Amanda
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| Water
Scorpion |
Wood
Wasp |
Hi Amanda,
We are currently experiencing difficulties receiving images,
so we are looking through the archives for interesting photos.
When your letter originally arrived, we were very busy with
the start of fall semester and we did not get to answer many
letters. Your Water Scorpion images from the genus Ranatra
are quite spectacular. The wasp appears to be a Wood Wasp
in the genus Urocerus, probably Urocerus californicus. Also,
please forgive us for our delayed response.
Immature
Giant Water Bug
(08/03/2006) WTB
I have posted pictures of this bug. Found in shallow water
(and released) chasing another smaller bug. It bit me.
 
This is the first time we have gotten a photo of an immature
Giant Water Bug, or Toe-Biter. Adults have wings and are strong
fliers. There are human encounters when they are attracted
to lights, hence their other common name, Electric Light Bug.
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