Water Strider

Description:

Family Gerridae are physically characterized by having hydrofuge hairpiles, retractable preapical claws, and elongated legs and body. Hydrofuge hairpiles are small, hydrophobic microhairs. These are tiny hairs with more than one thousand microhairs per mm. The entire body is covered by these hairpiles, providing the water strider resistance to splashes or drops of water. These hairs repel the water, preventing drops from weighing down the body.

Habitat:

Gerridae generally inhabit surfaces of calm waters. The majority of water striders inhabit freshwater areas, with the exception of Halobates. Gerridae prefer an environment abundant with insects or zooplankton and one that contains several rocks or plants to oviposit eggs on. It has been studied by prevalence of water striders in varying environments, that water striders most prefer waters around 25 degrees Celsius. Any water temperature lower than 22 degrees Celsius is unfavorable. This is likely due to the fact that development rates of young are temperature dependent. The cooler the surrounding waters, the slower the development of the young is. Prominent genera Gerridae are present in Wales, the former U.S.S.R., Canada, U.S.A., S. Africa, S. America, Australia, China and Malaysia. None have been yet identified in New Zealand waters.

Notes:

Found in a small pond in the Great Smoky Mountains.