Types of Water Bugs

No matter where you live, somehow you will encounter several kinds of insects. Some of them are several types of water bugs.

Water bugs can be found all over the world in quiet, flowing water sources. Whether it is a freshwater stream, a pond or a swimming pool, water bugs live and thrive peacefully there.

They are usually confused with cockroaches, but they are true aquatic insects. The following are some notable types of water bugs:

• Back Swimmer

As their name implies, these types of water bugs swim on their backs, upside down while their legs are up on the water surface or near the surface. Their back legs are hairy and act like paddles which help the bugs to swim. 

They have a distinct curved back, and on the abdomen they have a broad and big kneel. Usually, they are smaller in size, up to 2 cm long, and possess large eyes which cover most of their head. 

They prey upon microorganisms, small aquatic animals, larvae, and algae floating on the surface of the water. They are also able to eat small fish and attack tadpoles. You can usually find them in freshwater ponds, marshes, lakes, and pools. 

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Back swimmers can bite humans when they come across them or feel threatened.

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Though their bites aren’t dangerous, they’re quite painful and may cause skin irritations.

• Water Scorpion

Coming in second in our types of water bugs list is the water scorpion. This water bug got its name because of its distinct grasping forelimbs which resemble the anterior pincers of a scorpion. 

Also, its’ breathing tube is quite long and resembles a scorpion tail. Two different types of scorpion water bugs exist in the world. The first is small and slender which looks more like a stick.

The second type has a leaf-like body. Both of these types of water bugs are carnivorous and prey upon small fish. They use their front grasping forelimbs to capture their prey and suck out their body fluids.

• Giant Water Bug

The most common types of water bugs are the giant water bug. Common names for giant water bugs are “electric light bugs” or “toe-biters” as these water bugs are the largest among all other types of water bugs. 

The favorite habitat for giant water bugs is slow moving clear water, ponds, and freshwater streams. These environments provide them with favorable conditions to thrive. Usually brown, these bugs have flat and oval-shaped bodies.

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They are huge in size, and an adult giant water-bug can reach up to 2-inches in size.

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Giant water bugs are smart hunters, and to deceive their prey, they sometimes take hold of plants near the water surface. They lie motionless, and as soon as a prey crosses them, they grasp it with their front legs. 

Usually, they prey upon insects, small fish, aquatic invertebrates, and tadpoles. They possess a small, sharp-pointed beak which they use to hunt their prey, and gives them the ability to cut their prey into small pieces to consume it.

• Water Boatman

These types of water bugs have a small body, around 13-mm in length, which is elongated and flat in appearance. They bear a total of six legs, two smaller ones in the front and four longer rear legs.

The hind legs are usually covered with hairs which give them an oar-like appearance. This physical quality gives them their name water boatman.

They are considered “kind’ types of water bugs because they are non-predatory. They feed primarily upon algae and other water plants. To eat, they inject saliva into the plants which dissolve the plant parts to ingest them.***

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