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Project Noah Nature School
Diplonychus eques
About 18mm long. This streamlined looking bug was attracted to night lights at the local school.
Under bright lights near midnight and a long way from the nearest flowing water.
"The females of the subfamily Belostomatinae lay their eggs upon the back of the males, who cares for them by alternatively wetting them and exposing them to air....... (in Australia) The genus Diplonychus in the subfamily Belostomatinae contains 1 species, Diplonychus eques, that is found in most states except Tasmania and South Australia and 1 species, Diplonychus planus, restricted to the northern gulf region. " - http://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies...
family: BELOSTOMATIDAE
subfamily: BELOSTOMATINAE
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:b...
Nice find Mark.
I've seen the large one in Wave Hill (NT).
It came to the light.
They do bite.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/827...
I like the name Small Giant...wonder what it would take to qualify as a Large Giant!....On second thoughts, an insect that big...no, I'd rather not meet it.
Sorry Mark. Apologies. I didn't notice the size.
Very similar tho.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/790...
I thought it might be immature
Thanks Lenny. I looked at those first and noted a size issue. 18mm didn't seem to make the grade.
Here in Thailand this Water Beetle is a great delicacy.
Never tried it myself.
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethocerus_...
Spotted on Feb 20, 2015
Submitted on Feb 20, 2015
