Water striders are beneficial bugs
-- Photo by DN BARTLING Like all insects, it has six legs. The front pair of legs is short, and the middle and back legs are very long.
-- Photo by DON BARTLING Common water striders have very good vision and move quickly on the water.
-- Photo by DON BARTLING In breeding season, water striders communicate by sending ripples to each other on the surface of the water.
-- Photo by DON BARTLING (Smith Creek) Water striders live on the surface of ponds, slow streams, marshes, and other quiet waters.
By DON BARTLING
Correspondent
About 10 years ago, when we were enjoying a picnic at Smith Creek Falls, my wife and niece decided to catch some water striders and transfer them to our landscape pond. Last week, we went back to the beautiful area of Smith Creek Falls and took some pictures of the prevalent water striders who continue to occupy the still water pools. The striders at our property do well many years later, and welcome us by effortlessly striding across the water whenever we go out to visit our pond. Common water striders are known by many names, including; water bugs, pond skaters, water skippers, jesus bugs and of course, just plain water striders. The common water strider is a water bug that looks a lot like a big mosquito walking on the surface of the water. Its body can grow just over ½ inch long, and it is dark brown or black. Like all insects, it has six legs. The front pair of legs is short, and the middle and back legs are very long. Water striders live on the surface of ponds, slow streams, marshes and other quiet waters. Common water striders eat living and dead insects on the surface of the water. Some are aquatic (water) insects, such as mosquito larvae coming up from the bottom, and others terrestrial (land) insects such as butterflies or beetles that accidentally land on the surface. Injured dragonflies are a favorite food, as are worms that fall in the water. Water striders have a sharp mouthpart, called a rostrum, to suck up body juices from prey. Common water striders have very good vision and move quickly on the water. The short front legs of a water strider are for grabbing prey. The middle legs push the insect forward, and the hind legs steer. The shape of their legs and their light weight keep them from breaking through the surface. In breeding season, water striders communicate by sending ripples to each other on the surface of the water. Females lay eggs at the water’s edge, usually on plant stems. When eggs hatch, nymphs (baby striders) must grow for over a month before they become adult water striders. Water striders must always keep moving so they don’t become prey themselves to fish or other predators. These insects do not have wings. They are usually in large groups and prefer the protection of overhanging trees and shade. Common water striders can live for many months, and adults can overwinter by crawling inside a plant stem when it gets too cold.
Relationship to humans Common water striders are helpful since they control insect populations, especially mosquitos. They do no harm to humans.
Get out and enjoy the great outdoors of Boundary County. For more outdoor articles visit www.naturallynorthidaho.
For more information on water striders visit; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerridae.
Copyright, Charles Lewallen