Water boatman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| iWater boatmen | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
|
Water boatmen, formally the family Corixidae, are a type of insect. They inhabit freshwater ponds, where they swim about on the surface with two large legs that resemble oars, giving rise to their name. There are over 500 different known species.
Water boatmen generally have an elongated ovoid brown, green, or grey body, between 3 and 20 mm in length, with two long rear legs and four short front ones.
They swim on the surface of water upside-down, carrying out gas exchange through spiracles on their ventral side, with hairs used to create a pocket of air to prevent water covering them. This air pocket can given them a silvery appearance from above. Adult examples can also use their wings to fly between ponds.
When the surface of the water vibrates or is otherwise disturbed a Water Boatman will dive, jab their prey with their feeding tube and so inject their saliva, which is toxic. They eat tadpoles, other aquatic insects, and even small fish.
The reproductive cycle of Water Boatmen is annual, with mating between December and May, after which eggs are laid in the stems of aquatic plants.
The water boatman's bite is quite painful. It is otherwise harmless.
