Family Mesoveliidae - Water Treaders

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Habitat · Food · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Mesovelia mulsanti White - Mesovelia mulsanti

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

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

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Family Mesoveliidae (Water Treaders)

Numbers

3 species in 1 genus (Mesovelia) in North America listed at nearctica.com

Size

body length 5 mm or less (1)

Identification

Small, slender, usually greenish or yellowish. Only anterior basal part of forewing thickened, clavus membraneous, membrane veinless. Antennae long, slender, 4-segmented. Beak slender, 3-segmented, 3rd segment long. Ocelli present.Tarsi 3-segmented, 1st segment very small. (1)

Habitat

Found on aquatic vegetation or running on the surface of the water. Fairly common around ponds. (1)

Food

They feed on small aquatic organisms found on surface of the water. (1)

Print References

"Peterson's Field Guide to Insects" p. 124-125. (1)

Internet References

photos of winged and wingless adults (U. of Minnesota)

live adult and nymph image plus other info (U. of Michigan)

pinned adult image of Mesovelia mulsanti (Insects of Cedar Creek, U. of Minnesota)

Works Cited

1.	A Field Guide to Insects By Richard E. White, Donald J. Borror, Roger Tory Peterson

Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi on 9 December, 2004 - 9:07pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod
Last updated 15 May, 2007 - 8:56am

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 © 2003-2009 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version