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Water Strider
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)
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Common Name: Water Strider

Order: Hemiptera

Family: Gerridae


Pest Status: Water striders are not pests.

Appearance: Water striders are flat-bodied insects. Their second and third pairs of legs are almost twice as long as their bodies. A water strider has the general appearance of a spider as it skates along the surface of water.

Life Cycle: Water striders are aquatic insects. There are normally four larval instars and developmental time is between 40 to 65 days. They prey on other small insects in the aquatic environment and have short forelegs to attack and hold their prey.

Where to Collect: Water striders are quite common and can be found on the surface of ponds, slow streams, marshes, and other quiet waters.