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Giant water bug, Electric Light Bugs, Toe Biters, Fish Killers

Lethocerus americanus

Photo by SimonTempler
Published on Project Noah
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44.9462, -93.2875

Field Notes

Description:

the largest Heteroptera: 13-75 mm (Abedus are 13-15 mm, Belostoma, 15-30mm, and Lethocerus, 40mm or more)(3); 9-110+ mm globally(2) it feeds on
aquatic arthropods, snails, small fish and amphibians(7); can attack prey many times their size .

Habitat:

it like slow moving water and it clings to plants floating in ponds, shallow margins of lakes and rivers with submerged vegetation and detritus and it breaths by a small tube located at the end of it abdomen

Notes:

she can give a nasty bite if she wishes

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)

Photographed
PublishedSeptember 15, 2014

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