Is the giant water bug dangerous to humans? Giant water bug: water strider and smooth

Bedbugs belong to the order Hemiptera, among its representatives there are families that live in water and on land. The water bug is found in the tropical latitudes of Asia and America. giant size. Adults reach 15 cm in length. This is a merciless predator that attacks fry of fish, frogs, snakes and turtles. An intimidating view of the insect is given by its impressive size and forelimbs, curved in the form of ticks. Water bugs living in Russian ponds are significantly inferior in size. But they are no less aggressive predators, attacking larvae, crustaceans and fry.

Variety of water bugs

Representatives of the order Hemiptera have mastered not only the land, but also the water surface. In the stagnant waters of a lake or swamp, insects can be seen deftly gliding along the surface. This is a water strider - one of the representatives of the family of water bugs. His feature- long legs covered with microscopic hairs, and an elongated body. Meet wingless and winged individuals. The larvae serve as food for them. Insects are widespread. They can be seen not only in large reservoirs, but also in puddles.

The water strider is one of the members of the water bug family.

Gladysh is also a typical inhabitant of water bodies. He is an excellent swimmer who has mastered a special technique - swimming on his back. Stability on water provides him with a special body structure and powerful hind limbs. The ability to breathe gives a small air bubble attached to the abdomen. The bug is actively looking for food, it eats eggs, larvae, tadpoles and insects. The size of the smooth surface is 15 mm. The back of the insect is painted light gray, and the abdomen is brown.

This is a camouflage that allows you to remain invisible to ducks and other waterfowl. The bug does not attack a person, but in case of a threat it bites. Painful sensations are comparable to a wasp sting.

Information. If food supplies run out in a reservoir, the smooth fly flies to another habitat.

The rower is a small water bug that lives in temperate climates. When diving, it keeps a supply of air under the elytra. The rower is a predator, its diet is eggs and hatched larvae. The insect has a special musical apparatus; when rubbing the teeth on the segment of the leg, it chirps. A small insect often becomes a victim of larger predatory relatives.

Appearance of the belostomy

A close relative of smoothies are representatives of the Belostoma family (Belostomatidae). The giant water bug is 10 times larger than the usual inhabitants of Russian lakes. The length of his body is 15 cm. The shape of the body is flat and elongated, which helps to move in the water column. The oral apparatus is of a piercing-sucking type, traditional for this family. The proboscis is attached to the front of the head. The short curved organ resembles a beak. The eyes are large, reticulate, the antennae are jointed. Body color is dark or light brown.

The front wings of bedbugs are half hard and leathery. Rear transparent, thin, shorter than the front. In a calm state, they are folded and cover the abdomen. During the period of drought, belostomes leave the ponds and fly in search of a new home. The body of bedbugs is protected by a chitinous cover. The hind legs are designed for swimming, they are covered with hairs that increase the raking surface. The forelimbs are shorter and more powerful than the rest. They end with a claw. This structure provides the ability to grab and hold prey during the introduction of the proboscis. At the end of the abdomen of the insect are two respiratory tubes. A small organ does not allow for a large supply of air. To inhale oxygen, the bugs have to raise the back of the body above the water.

habitats

Giant insects prefer shallow bodies of water with stagnant water or a weak current. The water warms up well in them, there is a lot of vegetation and inhabitants. Bialyst can be found in the South and East Asia, Japan, South America, North Africa and Far East. They live in fresh water, sometimes carried by channels to the coast of the seas. In Japan, water bugs live in rice fields. The people of Florida have given them the nickname "Alligator Pincers".

Information. A large number of predatory belostomy is harmful to fish farming. Water bugs eat fry.

Lifestyle

Belostoma is a predator, its diet includes reptiles, fish, insects - everything that it can catch and kill. Despite the fact that insects breathe air, they spend most of their lives under water. The bug prefers to hunt from ambush in shallow water. He lies in wait for the victim, hiding among stones or plants. The dark body perfectly disguises the predator. The giant sits patiently in anticipation of passing prey.

Sensing elements on the paws allow you to catch its approach. The insect quickly catches the prey with its forelimbs-claws. The skin of the prey is pierced with a proboscis, through which a paralyzing substance is introduced that stops resistance. A gastric enzyme is then injected to thin the internal organs. After a while, the bug sucks out the contents of the victim's body.

Information. In Japan long time did not know who destroys the three-keeled turtles, leaving the shell intact. Observation of a giant water bug provided clues to this mystery.

Insects spend winter on land. It hibernates under the bark and foliage, in the crevices of stumps and trees. The state of suspended animation helps to survive the cold and lack of food, in which everything slows down as much as possible. life processes. In the spring, after an increase in air and water temperature, they wake up. Hungry bugs begin to actively feed. It's breeding season for insects.

Hunting for giants

Bialyst attracts electric light, at night the bugs fly on burning lighting. This property is used by insect catchers. At night, they set traps and turn on flashlights. In Southeast Asia, giant bed bugs are deep-fried and sold in markets. This shrimp-like dish is served in restaurants in Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, and China. Due to mass capture, the number of insects in some regions has fallen to a critical level.

In the event of a threat, the water bug of the belostoma freezes, pretending to be dead. From the anus, he releases an unpleasantly smelling liquid that repels enemies.

The mating season is in the spring. Males attract the opposite sex with pheromones. After fertilization, the female lays her eggs on her partner's back. Within a few days, with the help of a sticky secret, she glues about 100 eggs on his elytra. The period of maturation of embryos lasts about two weeks. Hemiptera insects are characterized incomplete transformation. They go through three stages: egg, nymph, adult.

The larval stage of bedbugs is called a nymph. During this period, the offspring is similar to an adult, but differs in small size. Belostomas emerge from eggs with a soft, transparent body. Their cover will harden and stain in a few hours. From the first days, the nymphs actively feed. Their diet consists of crustaceans and insect larvae. Nutrients they need for growth and molting. Before reaching puberty, the nymphs shed their chitinous shell several times, which has become tight on them. this stage. Each time the body of the larva grows, the genitals are formed, wings appear. It takes about a month for a water bug larva to turn into an adult.

Caring for offspring

The male belostomy shows parental care for future offspring. He not only carries eggs on himself, but also monitors their full development. Every day the bug is selected to the surface for air baths, enriching with oxygen, and preventing the appearance of fungi. While in the lake, the male ensures the circulation of water by rotating the hind limbs. This manipulation contributes to the uniform distribution of air between the rows of eggs.

Caring for offspring, the male cannot hunt and almost stops eating. It is vulnerable to other predators, so it leads a secretive lifestyle. By the end of the breeding season, the number of males decreases sharply. But the egg survival rate is high.

attack on a person

The sight of a large insect with powerful ticks can cause a swimmer to panic, but you should not be too scared. Usually they measure the size of the prey, so water bugs will not attack a person. However, belostomy bites to the fingers and toes are not excluded. This happens if you step on an insect or grab it with your hands. Curious children often become victims of a bite. The injected enzyme is not dangerous to human health, but the wound causes concern for several days. The injected substance prevents the overgrowth of the skin.

Often the collision of a giant bug and a person occurs on land. This happens during the period of migration of insects from one reservoir to another. In spring and autumn, at night, hundreds of belostoms go to a new place of residence or wintering. The flight of giants is an impressive sight, but it is better to admire it from a distance.

Water bugs are part of the natural food chain. Predators that eat fish seem to be pests to people. But they also destroy insect larvae, limiting the number of mosquitoes. In Asian countries, giant belostomy eat amphibians that damage rice crops. As a result of uncontrolled fishing in Japan, one of the Belostomatidae species is listed in the Red Book.

Can you imagine a bug up to 10 cm long that lives in water and is able to eat a turtle? Water striders and other water bugs look more harmless. Should I beware of them and what kind of danger do they pose?

In slow-flowing or stagnant waters, insects can often be found that move along the surface on long legs. We call these representatives of the fauna water striders. But for many it will be a discovery that they belong to the suborder of bedbugs. And these are far from the only representatives of the Hemiptera. He doesn't look like him at all!

Description of varieties

Water bugs are absolutely safe for humans, but, like any insect, they will defend themselves with a bite if their peace is disturbed.

They feed on larvae, insects and even small fish, and some can even attack a turtle or a frog. Most aquatic insects are able to fly, but they do so mainly only in order to find a new place to hunt.

Water bugs include:

water strider;
rower;

Water meters are small in size. There are about 700 species of this insect. The familiar water strider resembles an oblong stick with three pairs of legs of different lengths. Microscopic hairs on them help the insect to keep balance. Water striders feed on other insects that are in the water, or larvae.

In nature, there are both wingless and winged water striders. The latter were lucky to move in search of a place for wintering by air. The largest water striders are found in the tropics. Here, small fish become their prey, and the bites of such a bug are felt even more.

Rowers live in temperate and northern latitudes. They are active not only in the warm season, but also in winter time. Unlike their relatives, rowers stick their head out of the water when breathing, and not their abdomen. With considering small sizes, up to 15 mm, rowers choose the smallest prey, helping themselves to eat with the help of their forelimbs. The rower more often than other relatives turns out to be the prey of larger bugs.

Giant water bug and its differences

The huge water bug is much larger than its congener. Even a smooth, which will grow up to 1.5 cm in length, is not able to compare with a 10-centimeter belostomy. for habitation and both choose predominantly stagnant waters. Belostoma refers to exotic insects, unlike the usual water bug. With the onset of heat, the latter can be seen in every pond.
Both giant water bugs and ordinary ones are safe for humans. Although some can bite as well as bees if disturbed.

The mouth apparatus of all bugs is arranged in almost the same way. First, the bugs pierce the victim, and then literally stick. That's just prey they can afford, depending on the size. So, ordinary water bugs eat insects and larvae. Individuals eat more small fish, and in the diet of giants big fish, frogs and representatives of small subspecies of bedbugs.

Description of the smooth bug

The smooth water bug confidently cuts through the water thanks to the back pair of legs. It's like he's stroking surface. Hence the name. Thanks to the hind legs, which are several times larger than the size of the other limbs, the smooth bug moves a considerable distance, as soon as it waves them several times.

It chooses bodies of still water, such as lakes or ponds, as habitat. But you can also see a smoothie much closer to home, for example, in a puddle or in barrels of water, which are often installed in summer cottages. The bug can move not only on water surfaces, so it can also find itself close to the house, especially if you leave the light on the porch on.

Moreover, water bugs fly very well. To do this, they have transparent wings and dense brown elytra. As a rule, the smooths rise into the air at night in search of another reservoir rich in food. The bugs feed, having previously sprinkled the digestive enzyme into the victim through the piercing-sucking mouthparts. Then, firmly clinging to it with their forelimbs, they suck out the contents from it.

The smooth bug tracks down the next victim while in the water, which makes it very remarkable. Unlike many other insects, the bug, once in the water column, turns upside down and thus controls the surface of a pond or lake, where there are many larvae and insects. The smooth back protects the smooth fish from fish, which makes it barely noticeable.

The features of smoothness include the ability to make sounds similar to the chirping of a grasshopper. This happens when the bug "plays" on its proboscis. More precisely, he scrapes it with his front limbs.

Do not relax and think that this kind of bug is dangerous only to the inhabitants of reservoirs. It can also bite a person if you pick up an insect.

Its bite is close to that of a bee, for which the smooth bee is often called a water bee. But only the most curious and fearless, who want to take a closer look at the insect, suffer from bites. In other cases, the smooth will not attack a person. Its bite is not dangerous to health, although it is felt for a long time.

Water bug belostomy

This bug is a thunderstorm of water bodies and a real predator in its environment. It has powerful forelimbs that resemble claws of cancer. By size, the belostomy reaches 10 cm in length. Such dimensions allow you to choose larger prey for a meal, for example, small and not very fish, frogs and even turtles. Belostoma is called the killer of fish. But the giant bug does not claim to catch Russian fishermen. Belostoma is found in reservoirs North America, South Africa, Southeast Asia.

In Thailand, it is dangerous for belostomes to be found. Here, the water bug has been turned into a real delicacy, which is pre-fried.
For people, a large water bug is absolutely safe. He can bite only with direct contact with him, but will not deliberately hunt. The simplest and most common technique among bedbugs to scare off the enemy is to release a specific aroma or pretend to be dead.

In spring or autumn, belostomes are forced to rise into the air, and then insects can run into people resting near a reservoir. A feature of the giant bug is its attitude towards offspring. papa bug in spring period Outwardly, it becomes similar to a hedgehog, as the female lays eggs on his elytra.

The size of the bug allows you to accommodate about a hundred future belostoms on it.

Water bugs, even gigantic in size, do not pose a danger to humans and are not pests that should be fought. Rather, on the contrary, they destroy insect larvae, including horseflies, taking their rightful place in the food chain.

Currently, about 40 thousand species of bedbugs have been found on earth, 2 thousand of them are inhabitants of reservoirs, 140 species of water bugs live in the vastness of our country, and only a few species can cause trouble to people - such is the statistics. What are these troubles, how serious is everything and what to do about it? Let's figure it out.

A little about bedbugs

The word "bug" is associated with bed bugs and unpleasant emotions and sensations. And although there are peaceful herbivorous bugs, we are more interested in safety issues when meeting predatory bugs in nature.

The proboscis of predatory bugs is adapted to pierce the skin of an animal, inject a digestive enzyme that dissolves tissues, and suck out the contents. It sounds ominous, but a meeting with a bug in nature does not pose a mortal danger to a person, although it will cause a lot of anxiety.

Belostoma

This is a giant water bug, the length of adults reaches 10-12 cm, sometimes larger ones are found, up to 15 cm. Lives in tropical countries South-East Asia, less often in regions with temperate climate. Tourists can meet him in India, China, Thailand, and on the territory of our country - in the Far East.

Belostoma inhabits streams and swamps, as well as coastal salty sea water.

This bug looks intimidating - the front pair of legs is thickened and curved, similar to cancer claws. Giant water bug belostoma

The care of the insect about the offspring is interesting: the female lays eggs on the back of the male, and he wears them until the larvae hatch, protecting and providing an influx of oxygen-rich water. Apparently, therefore, in Japan, belostomy is considered a symbol of a caring father.

This giant hunts for crayfish, insects, frogs. In Japan, the three-keeled Chinese turtles eat the fry of commercial fish and harm the fish industry, while the belostoma hunts them and regulates their numbers. Japanese scientists describe an attack by a 15-centimeter bug on a turtle that is larger than it. At the same time, the predator pierces not the shell, but the tender body of the turtle, and drinks it.

Irony of fate: the predator became a victim of human taste preferences. In the countries of Southeast Asia, this bug is considered a delicacy, so its number has declined, and in Japan it is listed in the Red Book.

The taste of fried belostom is reminiscent of the taste of fried shrimp.

Of course, a belostoma does not hunt a person, but can only bite in defense. Its bite is painful, but not fatal.

As for bites with belostomy - conflicting data. Some say death to buffaloes, others keep quiet. I watched how ethno-cooks threw handfuls of them into the pan with their bare hands, slightly howling from bites. However, I wouldn’t try… Plautus with smoothness is much angrier.
I also asked everyone in Florida about the giant water bug, even in the Everglades reserve. Everyone's eyes widened: they don't know!
https://entomolog-spb.livejournal.com/9149.html

Sometimes the belostomy is called a giant smooth, but this is not true.

Smooth, float and water scorpion

water bug smoothness- a common inhabitant of our rivers and lakes. Its size rarely exceeds 1 cm. The first and second pair of legs are of medium size, and the third is turned into paddle legs, large and powerful. Flat, shiny, with two red eyes on his back, just a handsome man. The eyes are on the back, because it swims belly up, looking for prey at the bottom: aquatic insects, fry and other living creatures.

Smoothness in the water column

The second name of the smoothie is the water wasp, so they called it for its painful bite. But the smoothness bites only those careless ones who take it in their hands, more often than children.

The author of these lines, being a student of the Faculty of Biology and undergoing a summer practice, more than once caught smooth fish and other aquatic animals with an ordinary net. She has never been bitten, but she repeatedly observed cursing friends stung by a nimble bug. All are alive and well to this day.

Plautus and water scorpion - water bugs, which are found in our reservoirs less often than smooth, also never attack themselves and bite only the one who inadvertently picks them up.

Bite signs and first aid

Pain, swelling, redness and itching are attributes of an insect bite. The reaction appears as a result of an allergy to the enzymes introduced by the bug. Of course, these signs will appear in different people differently. It depends on the body's predisposition to allergies.
Belostomy bite

Of course, the first thing to do if you are bitten by a water bug - belostoma, smooth, float or water scorpion - pull yourself together and remember that these are not poisonous insects.

Wash the bite site running water with soap;
Apply cold to the wound. If there is no ice at hand, press the sore spot with your finger or apply a pressure bandage higher - these actions will prevent the spread of allergens;
To prevent a bacterial or viral infection from joining, treat the wound with any disinfectant: ethyl alcohol, iodine, chlorhexidine, miramistin, etc.

To reduce pain and swelling, Boro Plus ointment or Fenistil gel is used.

From the "grandmother's" means, you can use soda lotions, tinctures of calendula or corvalol, applied to the wound. Helps essential oil tea tree: a few drops will relieve itching and disinfect the bite site.

Many of us have been bitten by mosquitoes and ants, stung by wasps, bees and horseflies. "It just went away."

If you have a strong body and good immunity, these measures can be limited: your body will cope with the consequences of a bite.

When to See a Doctor

Immediately! - if you suffer from allergies or have had allergic reactions to insect stings in the past.

You need to go to the doctors in cases where the bite is small, you have provided first aid to yourself and are waiting for improvements, and the following happens:

swelling and redness at the site of the bite do not go away, but intensify;
it becomes difficult to breathe, as if the chest is compressed;
swelling of the tongue, mucous membranes of the nose and throat;
body temperature rises sharply to 38 o C or stays around 37.5 o for a long time;
dizziness appears, speech is confused and consciousness is lost.

These symptoms indicate a serious allergic reaction and the need for hospitalization.

And if redness, pain and swelling do not go away, the person has a fever and the bite site suppurates, it means that an infection has been introduced, and then an infectious disease specialist or a dermatologist is needed.

Timely assistance will quickly put you on your feet.

Water bugs are not horror movie characters that prey on people. They live the unpretentious life of insects in their puddles and rivers, without making plans to capture and bite humanity, and they are only aggressive when defending themselves. When our universes intersect, a person should be more careful and protect the peace of the inhabitants of the reservoirs. This is how we save ourselves.

Usually the word "bug" is associated with us as a domestic pest. However, there are other representatives of the bedbug family living in the wild. For example, a giant water bug is a belostomy.

giant water bug

Belostoma water bugs or belostomatids (from the Latin name of the Belostomatidae family) belong to the order of Hemiptera insects. There are about 140 types of belostomy. There are few of them left on the territory of Russia; currently, most of these bugs live in hot regions. Giant water bugs live in not very deep water bodies - ponds, lakes, less often in rivers and streams. They can also live in sea water, close to the shore. Those species that have adapted to the cold (for example, those living in the Far East) survive the winter under the ice, burrowing into the silt.

Giant water bugs can attack small snakes

Giant water bugs feed on fish, insects, crustaceans, amphibians; they can even attack animals that are slightly larger than them.

In Japan, attacks by a 15 cm belostomy on a 17 cm turtle have been recorded.

Appearance and structure

The size of an adult belostomy is 10–12 cm, individuals 15 cm long come across. torso dark colors, with patterns on the back.

This insect has a streamlined body and 6 legs that act as oars while the bug swims. Hairs that grow densely along the outer edge of the limbs rise during strokes, increasing the surface of contact with water. There are also dark spots on the legs - sensory organs that determine the depth and fluctuations of water.

The structure of the belostomy allows them to move easily in the water.

The forelimbs of the belostomy are thick, curved forward; they resemble crayfish claws. At the ends there are hooks with which the bugs grab and hold prey. The mouth is a short curved proboscis. This form is convenient for feeding the belostomy, which pierces the prey and injects poisonous substances that thin the inside of the victim, after which the bug sucks it out.

They also have wings, but they are used exclusively for relocation. Just like that, these insects do not fly, preferring to be under water. However, belostomy often have to protrude to the surface, as they breathe oxygen through breathing tubes located on the back of the abdomen.

During relocation to other water bodies, flying belostoms can be attracted by lamps and other light sources. For this they were nicknamed "electric light beetles".

Reproduction and development

The development of the giant water bug includes three stages - egg, larva and adult. The bug travels from an egg to an adult insect in more than a month. The larvae of giant water bugs look like adults, but smaller size and have no wings. They go through several molts, with each acquiring a new trait of an adult bug, for example, wings and reproductive organs.

While caring for eggs, males practically do not eat, so after the breeding season their number is significantly reduced.

In Japan, a caring male bug is a symbol of a good father.

It is noteworthy that the females of some species of giant water bug lay eggs on the backs of males, gluing them with a special substance after fertilization. After that, the father bugs do not swim for about two weeks and hardly eat, protecting the offspring and taking care of it: with their movements, the males provide fresh water to the eggs or expose their backs above the water for oxygen access.

Other species of belostomy lay their eggs on the leaves of aquatic plants.

Belostomy bites

Giant water bugs do not pose a great threat to humans, as they themselves do not attack. These insects are characterized by a passive reaction to danger: when they meet a large enemy, they freeze, pretending to be dead. But if the belostomy is picked up or touched in the water, then it may well bite in self-defense.

At the site of the bite of the belostomy, blisters and wounds that do not heal for a long time are formed.

In Asia, belostomy is eaten, they are considered a delicacy. In Thailand, because of this, insects are endangered.

According to reviews, fried belostomy is a tasty and nutritious dish.

Giant water bug bites to humans do not pose a danger to humans, but are very painful. Edema occurs at the site of the bite. As a result of the bug's digestive enzymes entering the wound, it heals for a long time, depending on individual features organism. Theoretically, the poison contained in the saliva of the bug can cause a severe allergic reaction. Although the deaths of people after being bitten by a belostom are not recorded, it is still not worth disturbing them in vain.

Belostoma is an almost harmless, beautiful and unique creature. No need to offend giant water bugs and destroy them, because these insects are necessary in nature. And to avoid an unpleasant bug bite, be careful while bathing and do not pick it up.

For most people, bedbugs are associated with domestic bloodsuckers, with agricultural pests that spoil bread and crops. However, our planet is inhabited by many different arthropods belonging to different families, which differ in their unique body structure, as well as their habitat.

One of the most unusual insects is the smooth water bug, which can be found in the reservoirs of our country.

Let's take a closer look at what this insect is.

Description of the water bug

The name of the insect speaks for itself, since the bug has a streamlined body in the shape of a boat. This water beetle has three pairs of legs, of which the hind legs are the longest. The back pair of paws is also covered with bristles, which act as oars. From the surface of the reservoir, the insect captures a bubble of air that it breathes and which plays an important role in buoyancy. This bubble clings to the lower part of the abdomen. On the head of the smooth man there are two eyes, which are very large in comparison with his head.

The hind legs of the insect are designed for swimming in water, and not for moving on land, like most other members of the family. The front paws are more massive and somewhat reminiscent of claws. The front legs are shorter than the rest. At the ends of the paws are hooks that look like claws. They are necessary for reliable capture and retention of prey.

Adult water bugs cannot breathe underwater, so they constantly rise to the surface of the water. The respiratory apparatus in insects includes two tubes that are located on the abdomen.

Smooth bugs can fly, but they use this ability only if they need to move to another body of water in order to find food. Also rise into the air when attracted by the light of lanterns. The insect has membranous and transparent wings, elytra are dense and brown.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that males have an unusual ability to make sounds, which are very similar to the chirping of a grasshopper. This sound appears due to the friction of the front paws on the proboscis.

The offspring of smooths lay in the form of eggs at the bottom of the reservoir, fixing them on algae and other aquatic plants. Eggs mature within two weeks. At the same time, the warmer the water in the reservoir, the faster the maturation process will proceed. Smooth larvae are similar in appearance to adults, but slightly lighter than them. Behind summer period they go through four molts. Their shed chitinous cover is so similar to the bug itself that it can be easily confused with a living creature.

Male water bugs have a unique relationship with offspring, as females lay eggs on their elytra and then the father takes care of everything. For one laying, the female is able to lay about 100 eggs. AT spring time the male, which is lined with eggs, becomes like a hedgehog.

Predator or not?

The water mite is a predator. Even small fish and frogs can be their prey, but in most cases, bugs eat fish fry, tadpoles, larvae and mosquitoes.

Smoothies differ from many other species in their unusual swimming technique. After the bug is immersed in water, it begins to turn upside down. Thus, the insect keeps the surface of the reservoir under control and hunts. Gladysh live in stagnant water or in ponds with a slow current. The water bug can also be found in large puddles and large containers of water.

The insect watches for its prey on stones or plants, and when it approaches the bug very close, it grabs it with its front paws and draws it to its mouth. All aquatic insects eat almost the same. They insert their proboscis into the body of the prey and inject special substances into it that contribute to the internal decomposition of organs. After that, the insects suck out the resulting slurry.

What are water bugs afraid of?

Despite the fact that bed bugs are predators, they can become someone's prey. However, their light back and dark belly, which changes color depending on the bottom of the reservoir, allow the insect to be invisible from the depths of the pond and from above for flying birds.

Are they dangerous to humans?

Water bugs pose no danger to humans.. If an insect bites a person, then it will be no more than just protection. If a person approaches an insect, then it can pretend to be dead or it can scare away a potential enemy by throwing its odorous secret at him.

Water bugs migrate in the spring looking for new water reservoirs. That is why huge flocks of smoothies can stumble upon people. Since the speed of their flight is very high, such collisions are very unpleasant.

Water bug bite

The water bug is often called "water bee", since their bite is similar to the sensations after a bee sting. Most often, the bite occurs on the legs while swimming in ponds. As a rule, bugs bite a person if he tries to show curiosity towards an insect by picking it up. If, nevertheless, a bug has bitten a person, then you should not panic. The bite, although painful, does not cause any harm to health. At the site of the bite, blisters and wounds appear that do not heal for a long time.

Water bugs, unlike bed bugs, as mentioned above, are completely safe for humans. Three main types can be distinguished among them:

The water strider is found in absolutely all freshwater reservoirs and even puddles. These insects move quickly on the surface of the water. Their thin body looks like a stick. The water strider has three pairs of legs.
Greblyak. The body of this species reaches a length of no more than 15 mm. Males, with the help of tubercles on their paws, can make unique sounds in order to attract females. Often they can be frightened, as these insects abruptly fly out of the water. Rowers are active not only in summer, but also in winter.
Smooth - an insect, which was discussed above. The size of the insect does not exceed 15 mm. It differs from other species in its flat abdomen, which is darker in color than the wings. If you touch the bug with your hand, it can sting, which is why it is also called a wasp.
Belostoma is the largest water bug. It reaches 17 cm in length.

Giant belostomy bug

The number of giant water bugs in the world is negligible. As a rule, belostomy can be found in southeast Asia in South Africa. Water bugs look quite intimidating, as their dimensions reach 17 centimeters in length.

Description of the belostomy:

The insect has large front paws that look very similar to crab claws.
The eyes are large, reticulate.
The body of the belostomy has an oblong shape, the color can be brown or black.
The insect has long antennae.

Due to its impressive size and the unique structure of the front paws, the belostoma preys on frogs, turtles and fish. These water giants are also predators that can wait for their prey for a long time.