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
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.