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Water scorpion

Ranatra

Photo by auntnance123
Published on Project Noah
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28.4319, -80.7593

Field Notes

Description:

as pictured, approx. 3 inches long, including unusual 'tails'

Habitat:

spotted on driveway and moved to garden

Reference Links:

Animal Facts & Photos

Species ID Suggestions

Looks like a walking stick
KimChampagne
1

Waterscorpion

Genus Ranatra

Reference Link
Aaron_G
1

Comments (10)
auntnance123
Chaenorrhium is correct. http://www.dallaszooed.com/animalfacts/animalfacts.php?id=77&c.. So, in spite of its name this spotting doesn't fit your mission. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/14838181
Chaenorrhinum
Water scorpions are insects, not arachnids. The 'stinger' is actually a breathing tube.
JenniferRoge
Please join Scorpions of Florida. http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/22371181
auntnance123
I thought those were mites; thanks for confirming.
Aaron_G
Your waterscorpion also has the typical mite load on its legs (the red-colored bumps). See the link for close-up images of mites.... http://bugguide.net/node/view/502346
auntnance123
Because we have so many wading birds and ducks that travel between different bodies of water I was thinking this fellow may have been trapped in feathers and transported. And we have a serious deficit in rain this year. thank you for the introduction to these interesting creatures.
Chaenorrhinum
They typically hang out in weedy, stagnant ponds here in Ohio. I don't think they'd attract a bird's attention. Since they breathe air (the 'tails' are held together as a breathing tube) and suck fluids from fish and other bugs, I think they could get away with somewhat salty water. Or maybe it got flushed downstream if you had a recent storm and crawled up out of the water because it *was* brackish.
auntnance123
I thought the same thing, Karen when I saw it crawling across the driveway. But I decided it was a peculiar mantis when I picked it up. Wrong! Chaenorrhinum has it right--it is a water scorpion! Now the mystery: nearby water is a brackish river. Is it possible the poor thing was dropped by one of the birds that may have flown by from fresh water farther inland?
Chaenorrhinum
Is there standing water nearby? This looks a lot like a water scorpion.
KarenL
Not seen one like this before - at first glance I thought it was a phasmatodea!
Photographed
PublishedFebruary 26, 2012

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