Pond Skater Fun Facts

The back legs act as rudders while the short front legs seize dead or dying insects that have dropped onto the water.

Pond skater fun facts. In the cold winter season of northern climates ponds can freeze solid and host winter sports such as ice skating. Water striders also known as pond skaters water skippers jesus bugs or water skeeters belong to the family gerridae. Pond skaters have thin brownish grey bodies and small heads with large eyes. About there are nine species of pond skater in the uk which range between 1 2cm in length.

Also known as water striders these bugs can skate jump and fly. The scientific name of the common pond skater is gerris lacustris and it is from the family gerridae the family of pond skaters. The water skipper grabs the snorkel and eats the larvae. In britain 10 different kinds have been recorded so far.

Common pond skaters range from 0 8 to 1 5 centimetres 0 3 to 0 6 inches in length and females are. Now that pond skaters have been on the telly here are 10 more interesting things about these nimble creatures. You may think that these pond skaters spend all of their time on the water since they are so perfectly adapted. Pond skaters are one of the easiest bugs to spot around ponds because they can walk on water.

There are around 500 different species of pond skater that are known by a variety of different names including water striders water bugs magic bugs skaters skimmers water scooters water skaters water skeeters water skimmers water. In america pond skaters are called water striders. Interesting facts about ponds. In france they are called patineurs d eau which actually translates as pond skaters.

Pond skater fast fact the jesus bug not my favourite alternative name for some reason are very agile as a result of their long legs. Some have common english. The larvae remain under water and out of reach but they breathe through a snorkel. There are over 1 700 species in this family many of which are found in freshwater and behave similarly to water striders in that they move atop the water.

In fact they are actually able to jump in order to evade a predator or catch their prey. The pond skater is a delicate water based insect commonly found on still bodies of water across the northern hemisphere. Ponds are used for the provision of fish and other wildlife including waterfowl which is a source of food for humans. Common pond skaters are also known as common water striders and they are brown to black in colour.

They use their legs to move across the pond s surface. Often seen in large groups they skate around on the surface of the water in ponds lakes ditches and slow flowing rivers feeding on smaller insects which they stab with their sharp mouthparts or beaks.