Family Belostomatidae - Giant Water Bugs

Classification · Other Common Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Internet References · Works Cited

Giant water bug with eggs - Abedus - male

Underside of backyard monster?? - Lethocerus americanus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Infraorder Nepomorpha (Aquatic Bugs)

Superfamily Nepoidea

Family Belostomatidae (Giant Water Bugs)

Other Common Names

Electric Light Bugs, Toe Biters, Fish Killers

Numbers

19 spp. in 3 genera in our area(1), ~160 spp. in 9 genera worldwide(2)

Size

the largest Heteroptera: 13-75 mm (Abedus are 13-15 mm, Belostoma, 15-30mm, and Lethocerus, 40mm or more)(3); 9-110+ mm globally(2)

Identification

Illustrated keys provided in(1)(4)(3)(5)(6)

Range

widespread(1), most diverse in the tropics(7); in our area, across the US and adjacent Canada, but more diverse in so. US

Habitat

ponds, shallow margins of lakes and rivers with submerged vegetation and detritus(1)

Food

aquatic arthropods, snails, small fish and amphibians(7); can attack prey many times their size(2)

adult Belostoma sp. feeding on snail

Internet References

Family profile(7)

Fact sheet by P.M. Choate(8)

Works Cited

1.	Aquatic Insects of North America By R. W. Merritt, K. W. Cummins, M.B. Berg

2.	Biodiversity of the Heteroptera By T.J. Henry

3.	Identification manual for the aquatic and semi-aquatic Heteroptera of Florida By John H. Epler

4.	How to Know the True Bugs By Slater, James A., and Baranowski, Richard M.

5.	Giant Water Bugs, Electric Light Bugs, Lethocerus, Abedus, Belostoma (Insecta: Hemiptera: Belostomatidae), by Paul M. Choate

6.	Aquatic Insects of Michigan, by Ethan Bright

7.	What Bug Is That? The guide to Australian insect families

8.	U. of Florida and Dep. of Agriculture Website

Contributed by Beatriz Moisset on 12 March, 2005 - 2:43pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, v belov
Last updated 12 December, 2011 - 2:39pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2012 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version