Subject: What type of insect is this?
Geographic location of the bug: Puerto Rico
Date: 10/24/2017
Time: 10:15 AM EDT
Hi, we have just experienced a large hurricane in Puerto Rico and all sorts of bugs I’ve never seen before are coming out, but this one is really interesting it was aprox 2 inches long. Can you help identify it.
Thanks
How you want your letter signed: Mike
Dear Mike,
We on the mainland are well aware that Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, and we also understand that aid is progressing at a glacial pace. Hurricanes frequently blow insects, as well as birds and other even larger creatures, to remote locations, so we researched if there are any local Giant Water Bugs or Toe-Biters native to Puerto Rico. On page 35 of Insectos de Puerto Rico, we found an image of Lethocerus annulipes, so unless the creature in your image is a different species that looks very similar, you encountered a local species. Toe-Biters are aquatic, but they can also fly if their ponds dry out.