?What is it? - Lethocerus americanus

image cropped

...to show details, and both images moved from genus page to americanus page.
This is L. americanus because (unlike L. griseus) its eyes are bulging and globose, outer margin of hind tibia is almost straight, and width of first hind tarsal segment is less than the least interocular distance.
It's not L. uhleri because its middle and hind legs are not banded.
See info on americanus species page.

… Robin McLeod, 21 May, 2006 - 12:25am

Giant Water Bug

This is some kind of giant water bug

… Christopher C Wirth, 6 August, 2005 - 9:18pm

waterbug

I was in Dexter, MI next to Ann Arbor an seen one of these bugs. Curiousity got the best of me when it looked like this huge cockroach. Looking closer at it, I flipped it over with some paperwork I had in my hand. Well, they do not like to be on their backs, thats for sure. They do look mean, very mean. So my question is? Is it common for these bugs to have hair on them? The one I encountered was furry...lol They sure are one ugly bug.

… greyhound, 29 July, 2007 - 3:10pm

You've got yourself a giant w

You've got yourself a giant waterbug, family Belostomatidae. They're sometimes called toebiters. They can be pretty aggressive. The "giant stinger" on its face is probably its sucking mouthparts. They're predatory on other water insects, tadpoles and such, which they pierce with that mouth-spike and suck dry.

… Rattlebox Photography, 6 August, 2005 - 9:18pm

Lethocerus

Family is Belostomatidae, genus is Lethocerus. The big Popeye-like forearms are distinctive for this genus; the other American genera (Belostoma and Abedus) tend to fold their legs underneath like a praying mantis. This genus also lays its eggs on plant stems, while in the other two the male bugs carry the eggs on their backs until they hatch.

… Joshua Stuart Rose, 6 August, 2005 - 11:07pm