Family Haliplidae - Crawling Water Beetles

revised in (1)

Haliplidae Aubé 1836

60 spp. in 3 genera in our area, ~240 spp. in 4 genera total(1)

1.5-5 mm(2)

key to spp. in (1); local keys: e Canada(3), CO(4), FL(5)

worldwide, primarily Holarctic(3)(2)

aquatic, prefer standing water such as large ponds that have no shade and plentiful algae

adults year-round, larvae: spring

larvae feed entirely on algae, either the filamentous forms such as Spirogyra, or macroalgae such as Chara

adults feed on oligochaet worms, small crustaceans, hydrozoans, the eggs of midges, and algae

overwinter as adults in permanent standing water

adults periodically come to the surface for air, which is stored in bubbles under the wings, at the tail, and under the coxal plates - allowing the beetle to breathe underwater for long periods; adults swim slowly and clumsily by moving their legs alternately (rather than in unison like predaceous diving beetles do)

Jasper S.K. (1996) Habitat selection in the family Haliplidae (Coleoptera) in central Texas, east of the Colorado River. Ph.D. dissertation. Texas A&M U., College Station. 306 pp.