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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Aquatic Bugs (Nepomorpha) » Nepoidea » Giant Water Bugs (Belostomatidae) » Lethocerinae » Lethocerus » Giant Water Bug (Lethocerus americanus)
Photo#189735
What is this? - Lethocerus americanus
Copyright © 2008 Steven Price

What is this? - Lethocerus americanus
Devens, MA, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA
June 10, 2008
Size: about 3 inches
I know it says no dead specimens, but this one seemed in reasonably good shape. I found it in the parking lot at work (he seems a bit out of place, like he's some kind of water beetle?).
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Steven Price on 11 June, 2008 - 9:13am
Last updated 1 February, 2010 - 8:10am

Moved
Moved from Lethocerus.
… v belov, 1 February, 2010 - 8:10am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Giant Water Bugs.
… Eric R. Eaton, 18 December, 2008 - 3:08pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from True Bugs.
… john and jane balaban, 25 July, 2008 - 10:56am login or register to post comments

I'm not sure what it ?
But i do have pics of a live one,
top and bottom. their really crazy looking beasts
Big gnarly hooks on the front,
I'll post them ,maybe it will help your search !
… Tabernack, 30 June, 2008 - 2:15am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks!
Thanks!
… Steven Price, 30 June, 2008 - 4:52am login or register to post comments

Looks like a differant specie
Looks like a differant species from those currently listed. Reason I suspect diff species is the eyes are in line with the back of the head, not that buldgey and are more than one eye appart. However, if you have the same species of Michigan locally it would sugest an atypical L. americana. Do you have a ventral picture? And yes, they end up in parking lots because from the air they resemble bodies of water. Often they fly away, but if the pavement is very hot and the animal is already tired they can burn up or dry out too quickly.
… Darcie Clements, 12 June, 2008 - 10:09am login or register to post comments

 
Thank you.
Sorry, no ventral shot. I'd take one, but it looks like some car tires have found him since my last photo.
… Steven Price, 12 June, 2008 - 12:07pm login or register to post comments

Giant Water Bug
Thank you both! Not too much water in the parking lot though, poor thing.
… Steven Price, 11 June, 2008 - 12:48pm login or register to post comments

 
I believe
that sometimes when they are flying they get confused by the lights and reflection off the pavement and mistake it for water.
… John R. Maxwell, 11 June, 2008 - 1:06pm login or register to post comments

 
That, and...
These are also called "electric light bugs" because they are often attracted to lights at night, then get 'stranded' the next morning, probably the case here.
… Eric R. Eaton, 11 June, 2008 - 4:03pm login or register to post comments

 
That's too bad...
...they're really cool looking. Couldn't they just fly away again when they realize that's not where they want to be?
… Steven Price, 12 June, 2008 - 4:30am login or register to post comments

 
tired bugs
It takes a lot of energy for bugs to fly, especialy when you are as big as these guys. If they rest to make another flight for freedom the elements (or cars) get to them.
… Cobweb, 29 June, 2008 - 5:31pm login or register to post comments

Giant Water Bug
Family Belostomatidae
… margarethe brummermann, 11 June, 2008 - 11:05am login or register to post comments

Looks like one of the
Belostomatidae (Giant Water Bugs) in Lethocerus
http://bugguide.net/node/view/13706/bgpage
… John R. Maxwell, 11 June, 2008 - 11:03am login or register to post comments

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