great diving beetle

Description:

A dark-coloured brown to black on their back and wing cases (elytra). Wing cases are shiny, under wing is light tan in color and fragile looking wing.

Habitat:

These beetles live in fresh water, either still or slow-running, and seem to prefer water with vegetation

Notes:

The male's wing cases are shiny, while those of the female are finely grooved tehy fly usually at night. They use the reflection of moonlight to locate new water sources. This location method can sometimes cause them to land on wet roads or other hard wet surfaces. Before they dive, they collect air bubbles in their wing cases which goes through the spiracles. The jaws of a great diving beetle are strong compared to their body size.