A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Ranatra sp.
Aquatic predatory insects. These ones were about 2.5 to 3 inches. Front legs are used to grasp prey. They feed on tadpoles, small fish, and other insects. They swim using their hind legs, and can breathe through a pair of breathing pipes extended from their tails.
Shallow pond.
The red-orange bumps are aquatic mites! (Hydracarina)
2 Comments
Thanks! Yeah, they're definitely mites. Apparently that's pretty common with water scorpions. I didn't even think of it.
Your large insect is a species of Water Scorpion:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/3157/bgpag...
The little red "eggs" might be phoretic mites. They ride on other larger insects to different locations. Think bug bus!
http://bugguide.net/node/view/265645
http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&a...