The Water Bug (Belostomatidae)

Not to be confused with a large cockroach. On no, these guys would use flying cockroaches for garnish. Belostomatidae is the largest of the “true” water bug family. They can get up to to 4.75 inches long.

Large a large mosquito, they use their rostrum (a needle-like organ)  to pierce the skin of their prey. People that have been probed by them say it’s one of the most painful “bites” they have ever experienced.

They are found near or in ponds and streams. In Florida, they are known as toe-biters, gator fleas, or alligator ticks.

They love water and use something like a scuba tank to breathe underwater. (They trap air bubbles under their wings and use these “snorkel-like” tubes to extract the trapped air.

The female of the species lays her eggs on the male and he carries them around. She moves on to find another mate and continues the process.

Water bugs are vicious hunters. Check one out in action below!