I just took a photo of one down by the creek, also with wings. It's the first one I've attempted to ID and I was surprised to read that Aquarius remigis almost never has wings. Anyway, I guess I'll find out if someone ID's it! It looks a lot like yours, though!



Note: I also had a fish pond for over a decade. I really, really, miss it. It was the source of untold hundreds of hours of observations. It was the time when I became interested in insects, seeing wasps, syrphids, damselflies, dragonflies, aquatic beetles, and more.

... some do have wings, and I am sure that it was a high flying winged strider that found its way to my goldfish pond and colonized it; not to mention all the various water beetles, and other aquatic critters. Even a coon took a swim in the pond once, and thrashed it! Only the goldfish, waterlilies, and water snails were added by my self.

I've always been a little curious about species that sometimes have wings, sometimes don't. Here I'm by a creek that is never dry, but we are in a drought. I wonder if that plays a role.

Anyway, I did not doubt your ID. I just thought I'd point it out because if it's more interesting to have a photo of something rare.

BTW, water striders were one thing I did not have in my pond. But I introduced mosquito fish, and I suspect that had something to do with it. I never introduced snails, but ended up with multiple types of snails anyway. The probably hitch-hiked in with plants.

Ponds are fun! My first one was a little kids pool that never got taken down. Then the kids won goldfish at a carnival. When I realized I was spending time watching them every day I decided to make a more permanent home for them.