Giant Water Bug

Distribution: North and South America, Northern Australia and East Asia Size Length: 2–12 cm

Life Span: One year or longer

Diet: Carnivorous

Social life: Solitary

IUCN red list status: No status

Giant water bug: Giant water bugs also known as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs, are water-living bugs. All have jointed, sharp, sucking beaks, breathe air, and undergo gradual metamorphosis. Commonly found in ponds, marshes, and on the edges of lakes and slow-moving streams, adults and larvae feed on other insects, small crustaceans (crabs/crayfish), tadpoles, snails, and small fish. Giant water bugs are ambush hunters, lying motionless and waiting for their prey. Predators of giant water bugs include birds, fish and other aquatic predators. Adults fly at night, like many aquatic insects, and are attracted to lights during the breeding season. In some species the female glues her eggs to the back of the male, where they remain until they hatch. When disturbed, some species play dead, others emit an odorous fluid from the anus, and still others make a soft chirping sound.