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Family Notonectidae - Backswimmers

Backswimmer - Notonecta Backswimmer - Notonecta irrorata Backswimmer - Notonecta irrorata Backswimmer - Notonecta uhleri Backswimmer - Notonecta uhleri Backswimmer - Notonecta undulata -_ - Buenoa Backswimmer - Notonecta indica
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Family Notonectidae (Backswimmers)
Other Common Names
Water Bees, Water Wasps
Numbers
32 spp. in 3 genera in NA(1)(2)
Size
5-16 mm
Identification
Aquatic bugs that often swim upside-down. When resting at the surface, body is typically tilted with the head downward. Characteristics(3)(4):
hind legs modified for swimming, with long hairs
front legs not scoop-like (unlike in Corixidae)
dorsum convex, V-shaped when viewed from tip of abdomen
wings clear, tips without veins
eyes relatively close together--typically separated by less than the width of one eye
Accurate identification of species often requires examining stridulatory structures and male genitalia.
Keys to genera/species provided in(5)(1)(6)(7)(8)
Range
Throughout North America
Habitat
Ponds, freshwater pools and slow flowing streams
Food
Prey on other aquatic insects and sometimes on small vertebrates; nymphs often cannibalistic
Life Cycle
Elongated white eggs are cemented to underwater plant stems and hatch in a few weeks; first-generation adults appear in July; often 2 generations a year(9)
Remarks
May bite if handled carelessly
Dive by holding air trapped in abdominal pockets; can remain submerged for up to 6 hrs
Attracted to artificial lights at night
Males have a stridulatory apparatus probably used to attract females and communicate during courtship
See Also
Water Boatmen (Corixidae) have rather flat body often with numerous dark cross-lines and scoop-shaped front tarsi(10)