Don't Go Chasing Water Bugs | Inside view

One of the most excruciating insect bites comes from giant water bugs, sometimes called "toe-biters". However, they are the best fathers ever. Dad will carry his eggs around on his back for weeks until they hatch off his back rather than leaving their survival to chance.

This summer, you could experience a stinging nip when you cool your bare feet in a creek in California or virtually anywhere else in the world. The terrifying offender was a huge water insect.

These bugs, which resemble huge aquatic ticks with goofy eyes and praying mantis limbs, are lurking just below the surface of that flowing creek or refreshing pond. Additionally, despite not actively seeking you out to attack, they won't think twice about biting you on defense if you approach too closely, earning them the moniker "toe-biters."

They bite with one of the most excruciating bites of any insect; it is sharp and stings like a wasp, puncturing the skin with dagger-like mouthparts. Even if you miss the offending bug before it flies away, you will surely be left with an unforgettable impression. and a throbbing, swollen toe.

What do enormous water bugs eat?
The ravenous predators known as giant water bugs will kill any little creatures they can capture. Their long, needle-like mouths are equipped with a cocktail of chemicals that paralyze and digest their prey's tissues. Then the enormous water bugs eat their meal. Giant water bugs occasionally even hunt ducklings in addition to other insects, tadpoles, tiny fish, and frogs.

How can enormous water slugs breathe?
Giant water bugs must surface to breathe, despite living their whole lives in freshwater. Two tiny air straps that emerge from the backs of giant water bugs may be seen. The air straps function as a snorkel to trap air in a bubble beneath their wings.

--- What do giant water bugs taste like?
In Southeast Asia, giant water bugs are sometimes eaten as a regional delicacy. Like other arthropods, giant water bugs are said to taste a bit like shrimp with a slightly sweet flavor.

---+ Read the entire article on KQED Science