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Species Lethocerus americanus - Giant Water Bug

Large bug in WA state - Lethocerus americanus Water  Bug - Lethocerus americanus Lethocerus americanus Belostomatidae - Lethocerus americanus Belostomatidae - Lethocerus americanus Is this Lethocerus americanus? - Lethocerus americanus giant water bug - Lethocerus americanus 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
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.