Species Lethocerus americanus - Giant Water Bug

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Works Cited

Lethocerus americanus teneral - Lethocerus americanus

Lethocerus americanus? - Lethocerus americanus

Lethocerus Americanus (aka: Canadian Toe Biter?) - Lethocerus americanus

Belostomatidae: Lethocerus americanus? - Lethocerus americanus

Unknown Beetle (At least to us) - Lethocerus americanus

Belostomatidae, released - Lethocerus americanus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

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

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Infraorder Nepomorpha (Aquatic Bugs)

Superfamily Nepoidea

Family Belostomatidae (Giant Water Bugs)

Subfamily Lethocerinae

Genus Lethocerus

Species americanus (Giant Water Bug)

Other Common Names

Electric Light Bug, Toe Biter, Fish Killer

Explanation of Names

Lethocerus americanus (Leidy 1847)

Size

♂ 47-57 mm, ♀ 58-59 mm(1)

Identification

anterior margin of eye bulging, posterior margin perpendicular to body axis, eye almost spherical; outer margin of hind tibia almost straight; width of first hind tarsal segment less than or equal to least interocular distance; anterior margin of fore femur grooved

Range

transcontinental: NF-VA to BC-NV

Habitat

ponds and shallow margins of lakes containing submerged or emergent vegetation

Food

aquatic arthropods, snails, small fish, and amphibians

(adult bug eating adult Pacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacris regilla)

Life Cycle

During spring and early summer, eggs are laid near or in water attached to aquatic plants, stones, leaves or rotting branches. The eggs are brownish-gray, 4-5 mm long, laid in rows. Usually 100 are found in each group, hatching in about 2 weeks. The nymphs look similar to adults but lack wings and are much smaller; they molt 5 times.

Overwinters as an adult in mud at bottom of pond or lake margin.

Adult with eggs

Works Cited

1.	Taxonomic revision of the subfamily Lethocerinae Lauck & Menke (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) Perez-Goodwyn P.J. 2006. Stuttg. Beitr. Naturkd., A (Biologie) 695: 1–71.

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 26 March, 2005 - 11:21pm
Additional contributions by Chuck Entz, Mike Quinn, Ben Coulter, Ron M., v belov, marcie oconnor
Last updated 25 March, 2024 - 9:48am

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