Talk:Water beetle

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something about the way they have adapted to there aquatic life would be nice

[edit] Food

What do they eat?

[edit] Food for a water beetle?

I had a couple of these beetles in my pool I brought in late in September, actually just one that i brought in the house. He's living in a tank alone. I can't find any information on what kind he is. His name is Lance. Other than him there's a chunk of tuna fish rotting in the tank for nutrients in the water and a couple plants from out back yard. He looks like nothing I've seen. He has arms that look like a row boat out to the side and swims on his back. He doesn't bite as far as i know, I pickedd him up out of the water with my hands. If I find out what this is I'll post it back here.

--Jay and Lance jxceran3@yahoo.com

ok I found it on this page http://www.whatsthatbug.com/toe_biter.html They're Backswimmers, Notonecta species and they're very interesting.. This guy also found it in his POOL and they it tells what they eat also but this doesn't go for all water beetles.

Hi Terry, The reason you couldn't locate your Backswimmer, Notonecta species, on our site is because it is a first for us. We actually had to make a decision where to put it. We decided the Toe-Biter page was the most appropriate location, and we will expand the scope of the page. Backswimmers are True Bugs and they are torpedo shaped and aquatic, but fly. They propel themselves through the water up-side-down in a jerky erratic manner using the extended and hair-fringed hind legs as oars. Air trapped in abdominal pockets enables them to remain submerged for six hours of inactivity if necessary. Their wings and backs are pale and the undersides are dark which acts as protective coloration while swimming. They are excellent hunters that prey upon insects that get caught in the water, aquatic insects and tadpoles. They have piercing mouthparts and can bite. Thank you ever so much for adding something new to our database.

Don't forget: Notonecta isn't a beetle, it's a bug. Beetles never have piercing mouthparts. By the way: the dinner table for water beetles (and bugs) is very diverse: there are carnivorous and herbivorous water beetles, while most water bugs are carnivorous or omnivorous (and as said above, Notonecta is carnivorous) Twerbrou 10:29, 27 February 2007 (UTC)