Water Strider

Description:

Water striders are 1/4 - 1/2 inch; long with narrow body; body covered with hairs and dark brown or black in color.The legs of a water strider are long,slender and strong providing the weight of the water strider body to be distributed over a much larger surface area. The leg tarsi are covered with fine hairs (hair like setae) that are difficult to wet. Thus the surface tension is very great between the ends of the legs and the water, enabling the insect to "walk on water". Due to this surface tension the striders can be seen making dimples or impressions with the ends of their legs on the water surface.

Habitat:

Water strider’s habitat is on quiet water in small coves or protected ponds and lakes. They can burrow into mud when their habitat dray’s up; becoming doormat until the water is replenished. They also go into small streams, like ditches. Where I have found most of the water striders is in all different ditches. . They can burrow into the mud when their habitat dries up; becoming dormant until water is replenished.