Hobbies And Interests
Identification
The common water strider's body is elongated and flat, with the bug being as long as 5/8 inch. The dark brown to nearly black insect has short forelegs and lacks wings. Its middle pair and rear set of legs are much longer than the front legs are.
Habitat
Water striders inhabit ponds, slow moving sections of streams and rivers and other places where the waters stay quiet, notes the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects &Spiders." The insect occurs throughout all of North America and in most parts of the world, frequently congregating in groups.
Diet
The diet of the water strider consists mostly of insects that live in the water or fall into it from the land. The water strider has a piercing mouth that it uses to pierce its victim and suck the juices from it.
Considerations
Water striders will create ripples upon the water in an effort to attract a mate, reports the Bug Survey website. Water striders can escape a foe by submerging and then returning to the surface of the water.