Are water striders dangerous? What do they eat?

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 Are water striders dangerous? |What do they eat?


Water striders have the unique ability to walk on water and so they are also known as ‘Jesus Bugs’ because they appear to ‘walk’ on water.

Researchers say that there are around 500 species of water striders all over the world. Around 50 species are estimated to live in North America.

Image by|Jggrz

Water striders are generally predators, so people doubt-

‘Are water striders dangerous?’

Water striders survive by capturing and feeding on other creatures. But they are not dangerous.

Infact, they are considered as beneficial to people as they prey on other harmful insects including mosquito larvae.

Image by|Toadienaulls

They are known to be medically harmless. They do not bite but may leave a minor sting that goes away without treatment. The sting may leave a small red mark for several hours, but do not require medical attention.

What do water striders feed on?

Water striders are aquatic insects. So, they eat newly hatched tadpoles and mosquito larvae that float to the surface.

They often eat dead insects. Sea skaters depend on finding floating fish eggs and other sources of protein also.

Image by|Analogicus

When land – dwelling insects falls on water, they get caught on the water surface. While the insects struggle to survive after falling on water, they send ‘communication ripples’ over the water surface.

These signals are detected by the water striders through their sensory tips of their legs.

Then, they dart quickly to grab the insect prey with their strong front legs.

They pierce the prey and inject it with digestive juices. The juices dissolve and liquefy internal organs allowing the water strider to suck out nourishment.

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Location: India

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