The list of visitors to my veranda keeps growing.
Last night a water bug was added to the list.
This huge bug, in the truest sense of the word, was around 10cm.
I believe it to be Lethocerus Indicus from the Wikipedia discription.
A quick look at this guy and you can see it is an insect not to be messed with.
Wikipedia states:
"Their bite is considered one of the most painful that can be inflicted by any insect (the Schmidt Sting Pain Index excludes insects other than Hymenoptera); the longer the bug is allowed to inject its saliva, the worse the resulting bite, and as the saliva liquefies muscle tissue"
These macro shots were unnerving at such close proximity.
It was interesting to see parasites infesting the creature (above).
In some species the female lays eggs of the males back, though I believe this to be of a species that cares for its young, inasmuch as hydrating the eggs until they hatch.
With all the insect action going on at the moment, one wonders what next.
Its sort of like a Land Yabby.
ReplyDeleteNever seen anything like it.
10Cm - that's huge for a bug.
Can you use it as bait?
Denis
I suppose you could use it for bait, though in some countries they are a delicacy!!.
ReplyDeleteFound one in a mud puddle yesterday, here in SE Vermont. When it moved, it didn't get up on the "toes" of the forelegs, it kept the "elbows" bent and plodded through the puddle like a wrestler.
ReplyDelete