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How to Make a Water Strider

Water striders -- also called water skippers, water bugs, water skimmers and a variety of other names -- are "true" bugs. That means they are insects that belong to the Gerridae family, in the order Hemiptera. They have six legs and a long, slender body. They are found in every variety of water, including salt and fresh, rivers, lakes and ponds. Water striders fascinate children because of their ability to walk on water, keeping their entire body above the surface. You can make a replica water strider with common household materials.

Things You'll Need

3-inch diameter, 9-inch long polystyrene tube
6 1-inch polystyrene balls
2 black bobby pins
4 feet copper wire
1 can black spray paint
1 can brown spray paint
Wire cutters

Instructions

- 1
  Spray paint your 9-inch polystyrene tube black. Allow the paint to dry. The tube is the body of your water strider. Spray two brown streaks, 2-inches apart, down the length of the tube. The two brown stripes represent the wings on the dorsal (top) side of the bug's thorax, or main body section.
- 2
  Cut three pieces of copper wire, each 12 inches long. To add the legs, you will create six small holes by piercing the thorax (the main body) of your strider perpendicular to and below the brown dorsal strips. The wires represent the bug's legs; there's one wire for every pair of legs. The first wire should be 1 inch from the head of the strider, a second set of legs 2 inches from the other end of the thorax and a third pair between the first two, 2 inches away from the second set of legs. Pull the wires evenly through the tube so you have 6 inches of leg on each side of the strider.
- 3
  Paint the 6 polystyrene balls black or brown and allow them to dry. Slide one ball over the end of each of the water strider's legs. The polystyrene balls will keep the strider afloat. At the head of the strider, force the two black bobby pins into the polystyrene foam. The bobby pins are the insect's eyes. Cut two 4 1/2-inch pieces of wire and push each 1/2 inch into the head of the water strider, between the eyes. These are the antennae of the strider.

Animals & Science