Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#179970
water Boatman ?

water Boatman ?
Pleasanton / Sunol, Alameda County, California, USA
April 1, 2008
Size: 1/2"
I know that there are a lot of water bugs and I was amazed to see this shiny golden one near a stream . It tried to bury itself in the sandy soil , but I was lucky enough to find it again . Are these fellows common ? Thanks for any comments , Bugsys posy

Moved
Moved from True Bugs. Family confirmed.

Great find!
Very cool-looking bug. Sure looks like a Water Boatman to me - given that none of our bugs in that family are ID'd to genus, I wonder if it is hard to get further than the family level? Perhaps Eric will enlighten us!

See here for a similar image from BG:


 
Or, maybe not....
LOL! I am flattered by Ken's confidence in my abilities, but I have virtually none when it comes to aquatics. Great image, though, and it should offer enough detail for someone other than myself to get you a genus.