ENY 3005 Family Identification
Hemiptera: Belostomatidae
Pronunciation: bel-low-stow-MATT-ti-dee
Common name: giant water bugs
Identifying characteristics:
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Elongate-oval, robust insects, 25-50 mm long.
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Front legs raptorial; middle and hind legs adapted for swimming.
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Short, retractile terminal appendages
Species in the family Belostomatidae are separated from those in Nepidae
by having short, retractile breathing tubes and the middle and hind legs
flattened and fringed with hairs.
Giant water bugs are strong fliers and are often found in swimming pools. Handle them carefully. These predators can inflict a painful bite!
Note how the front legs are adapted for seizing prey while the middle and hind legs are fringed for swimming.
References:
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Pages 114-115 in D. J. Borror and R. E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to the
Insects. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
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Page 239 in J. A. Slater and R. M. Baranowski. 1978. How to Know the True
Bugs. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 256 p.
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Page 139 in R. G. Bland and H. E. Jaques. 1978. How to Know the Insects,
3rd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 409 p.
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Page 294 in D. J. Borror, C. A. Triplehorn, and N. F. Johnson. 1989. An Introduction
to the Study of Insects, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing.
875 p.
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Page 426 in H. V. Daly, J. T. Doyen, and A. H. Purcell III. 1998. Introduction
to Insect Biology and Diversity, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 680 p.
Families of Hemiptera: Corixidae,
Notonectidae, Nepidae,
Belostomatidae, Gerridae,
Miridae, Phymatidae,
Reduviidae, Lygaeidae,
Coreidae, Pentatomidae.
Return to ENY 3005 Index to
Orders
Prepared by
John L. Foltz,
University of Florida, Dept of Entomology & Nematology, 29 Sep 1998. Modified 29 September 2004.