Insect Orders
The Hydrophilidae Family: Water Scavenger Beetles
Tropisternus sp.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Hydrophilus sp.
f.
g.
.
h.
Berosus sp.
i.
j.
k.
Tropisternus sp.
- Common Name: Water Scavenger Beetle
- Identifying Features: Larva: Lateral tracheal gills are absent. Adult: Small size and the presence of a spine (Figure e.)
- Time of Year Found: Larva: Spring. Adult: All year
- Size of Mature Larva: 15mm Adult: 10mm
- Habitat: Submergent vegetation
- Other Information:When the larva is threatened (by forceps for example) it opens it jaws towards the offender and lifts its abdomen vertically
- Figures:
a. Immature larva
b. Nearly mature larva
c. Mature larva devouring a backswimmer nymph
d. Side view of adult
e. Ventral view of adult
Hydrophilus sp.
- Common Name: Water Scavenger Beetle
- Identifying Features: Its large size and spine that is visible on the ventral side
- Time of Year Found: Unknown, but adult was found in summer
- Size of Mature Adult: 4.5cm
- Habitat: Submergent vegetation
- Figures:
f. Dorsal view of larva
g. Dorsal view of adult
h. Ventral view of adult, notice the spine that is an extension of the median longitudinal keel
Berosus sp.
- Common Name: Water Scavenger Beetle
- Identifying Features: Larva: The presence of lateral gills Adult: A large eye spot on the pronotum
- Time of Year Found: Larva: Spring Adult: All year
- Size of Mature Larva: 10mm Adult: 5mm
- Habitat: Submergent vegetation
- Figures:
i. Mature larva
j. Dosal view of adult
k. Ventral view of adult