water strider
insect
Also known as: Gerridae, pond skater, skimmer
water strider, any insect of the family Gerridae (order Heteroptera), which numbers about 350 species. Water striders, often seen running or skating in groups over the surface of a pond or stream, are slender, dark coloured, and generally more than 5 mm (0.2 inch) long. With their short front legs they capture insects that fall onto the water’s surface. In crowded conditions water striders have been known to prey on each other. The middle and...
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