---
title: "What the sources say about the Giant Water Bug | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "48 claims from the Giant Water Bug profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the Giant Water Bug (*Lethocerus americanus*)

> 48 claims from the Giant Water Bug profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Giant Water Bug](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/giant-water-bug/)

## Hoffman (1924). Biological Notes on Lethocerus americanus (Leidy). Psyche: A Journal of Entomology.

https://doi.org/10.1155/1924/86146

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| stabs fish and tadpoles with its beak | the bug raised up and sunk its beak into the top of the fish's head (note: tagline; fish. Tadpole: second entry) |
| tadpoles | At the end of an hour nothing remained of the tadpole but the shriveled skin (note: tagline, tadpoles) |
| Ponds, sloughs and small streams | It was taken while dredging at the edge of a pond (note: stats.habitat; pond (nymph)) |
| small streams | They were found near St. Paul in a small stream connecting two lakes. (note: stats.habitat; stream (adults, winter)) |
| sloughs | He found giant waterbugs guarding their eggs on the bank of a small slough. (note: stats.habitat; slough) |
| Young fish, tadpoles, young frogs and insects | The nymph fed greedily upon beefsteak, grasshoppers, tadpoles, young frogs, young fish, flies and other things that were offered. (note: stats.diet; a captive nymph. Insects: grasshoppers, flies) |
| A young bug reduced a tadpole bigger than itself to shriveled skin in an hour | two tadpoles considerably larger than the nymph were secured, so one of these was offered. At the end of an hour nothing remained of the tadpole but the shriveled skin (note: stats.superpower; body) |
| An hour later, nothing was left but shriveled skin. | At the end of an hour nothing remained of the tadpole but the shriveled skin |
| A second big tadpole got the same treatment. | The second tadpole was then offered to the bug with the same result. |
| In 1923 a Minnesota entomologist named William Hoffman gave a young bug | On July first, 1923, a large Lethocerus nymph was secured from a small pond near University Farm campus. (note: author line: William E. Hoffman, University of Minnesota, St. Paul) |
| In a Montana account that Hoffman passed on, a giant water bug lay at the surface waving one leg. | a giant waterbug lying aimlessly on the surface of the water, except for one leg which it appeared to be waving (note: 'Montana': Professor J. R. Parker of the University of Montana; Ovando, Montana) |
| A trout about ten or twelve inches long grabbed the leg, and the bug sank its beak into the top of the fish's head. | a trout about ten or twelve inches in length ... the trout grabbed the waterbug by the leg that had been moving whereupon the bug raised up and sunk its beak into the top of the fish's head. |
| The trout swam in circles, leapt clear of the water several times and finally rolled onto its back. | The trout began to swim excitedly in circles and jumped clear of the water several times. It finally turned over on its back. |
| Hoffman had always supposed Lethocerus, the genus this bug belongs to, would kill out of a vicious nature whether hungry or not. | I had always supposed Lethocerus would kill because of a vicious nature, whether hungry or not. |
| His adults, though, would not kill unless hungry enough to eat what they killed | Adults likewise would not kill food excepting when they were hungry enough to eat what they killed. |
| one bug refused food the day after a meal of two sizeable trout | The bug would refuse ... to take food the day following a meal of two sizeable trout. |
| A Montana professor found giant water bugs guarding eggs stuck to a grassy bank about a foot above the water of a small slough. | The eggs were stuck to the grassy bank about a foot above the water. (note: He found giant waterbugs guarding their eggs on the bank of a small slough; adult determined as Lethocerus americanus Leidy) |
| Hoffman judged there was one generation a year. | Undoubtedly there is but one generation per year |
| Hoffman collected bugs from a small pond and a small stream. | In December of 1921 several specimens of this species were taken from their winter quarters by the writer. |
| These bugs are strong fliers and are often caught at night. | Lethocerus adults are strong fliers ... Since these bugs are frequently taken at night |
| Hoffman found bugs in a stream bed in December, buried about five or six inches deep in a layer of decayed plant material. | In the center of the stream they were found buried some five or six inches deep in the layer of ... plant material forming the bed of the stream. (note: December of 1921) |
| They looked dead, but they responded to the warmth of his hands with slight movements. | The bugs appeared to be dead when first taken but they soon responded to the warmth of the hands as shown by slight movements. |
| bugs Hoffman dug up in December looked dead until the warmth of his hands made them stir | The bugs appeared to be dead when first taken but they soon responded to the warmth of the hands as shown by slight movements. (note: vibe.reason) |

## DuBois & Gobin (2001). Winter Drift, Sex Ratios, and Size Distribution of Giant Water Bugs, Lethocerus americanus, (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) in a Lake Superior Tributary. The Great Lakes Entomologist.

https://doi.org/10.22543/0090-0222.2050

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| females averaged 56.5 mm and males 50.7 mm | Females averaged 56.5 mm in total length (range 51-63 mm), and males 50.7 mm (range 47-56 mm). (note: Wisconsin trout hatchery; about two inches = 50.7 to 56.5 mm (2.0 to 2.2 in)) |
| Adults drifting into a Wisconsin trout hatchery were about two inches long | Females averaged 56.5 mm in total length (range 51-63 mm), and males 50.7 mm (range 47-56 mm). (note: 2.0 to 2.2 inches converted) |
| researchers collected more than 2,100 adults drifting onto its screens between December 1991 and May 1997 | More than 2,100 adult, drifting giant water bugs (Lethocerus americanus) were collected from the upstream face of the uppermost raceway screens at a run-of-river trout hatchery on a Wisconsin tributary to Lake Superior during December 1991 May 1997. |
| Drifting peaked between mid-October and March, when the water was below 4 degrees Celsius. | This drift was greatest from mid-October through March at water lower than 4° C |
| The authors suggest winter is when the bugs disperse after their final molt, to cut the risk of being eaten. | We suggest that the drift of these insects is best explained as a dispersal mechanism following the final molt and that winter is selected for dispersal to mini-mize predation risks. |
| In a Wisconsin trout hatchery, drifting adults averaged 56.5 mm long for females (51 to 63 mm) and 50.7 mm for males (47 to 56 mm). | Females averaged 56.5 mm in total length (range 51-63 mm), and males 50.7 mm (range 47-56 mm). (note: FAQ) |

## Giant Water Bugs, Electric Light Bugs, Lethocerus, Abedus, Belostoma (Insecta: Hemiptera: Belostomatidae). UF/IFAS Featured Creatures, University of Florida.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN578

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| from Newfoundland and Maine to British Columbia, south to Utah, Nevada, Mexico and Florida | Lethocerus americanus (Leidy)—Newfoundland, Maine to British Columbia, south to Utah and Nevada, Mexico, Florida. (note: stats.habitat and body range) |
| Giant water bugs as a group inject powerful enzymes, proteins that break food down, into their prey to kill it. | Powerful enzymes are injected into prey to kill them. (note: family scope, worded as such; the gloss of enzymes is a definition) |
| The giant water bug family has the largest bodies among the Heteroptera | These large, predatory, aquatic insects have the largest body size among the Heteroptera. (note: family scope; 'true bugs' per ITIS: Heteroptera - true bugs, not separately cited) |
| Lethocerus bugs lay eggs above the water. | Eggs of Lethocerus are deposited above water on vegetation and other objects. |
| In giant water bugs generally, eggs hatch in one to two weeks and total development takes one to two months. | Eggs hatch in one to two weeks, with total development time ranging from one to two months. |
| The family's nickname, electric light bugs, comes from mating-season flights from pond to pond, when the bugs fly to lights in large numbers. | During mating season they fly from pond to pond or pool of water. It is during these flights that these insects fly to lights in large numbers, earning their other common name, "electric light bugs". |
| Members of the giant water bug family can inflict a painful bite with their strong beak | Individuals are capable of inflicting a painful bite with their strong beak and may also pinch with their front legs. |
| adults of the genus Lethocerus are eaten in Asia, both fresh and cooked | Adults of Lethocerus are considered a delicacy in Asia, and are eaten both fresh and cooked. |
| A University of Florida guide to the giant water bug family says its members can give a painful bite with that strong beak, and may pinch with their front legs as well. | Individuals are capable of inflicting a painful bite with their strong beak and may also pinch with their front legs. (note: FAQ) |
| The family's other name, "electric light bugs", comes from the mating season, when the bugs travel between ponds and arrive at lights in large numbers. | During mating season they fly from pond to pond or pool of water. It is during these flights that these insects fly to lights in large numbers, earning their other common name, "electric light bugs". (note: FAQ; Quebec sentence cut (its source was drapeau-2021, not this ref)) |
| This species ranges from Newfoundland and Maine to British Columbia, and south to Utah, Nevada, Mexico and Florida. | Lethocerus americanus (Leidy)—Newfoundland, Maine to British Columbia, south to Utah and Nevada, Mexico, Florida. |
| Giant water bugs fly to lights in such numbers that the family's other name is electric light bugs | these insects fly to lights in large numbers, earning their other common name, "electric light bugs" (note: vibe.reason) |
| dangerLevel: Medium | Individuals are capable of inflicting a painful bite with their strong beak (note: Medium is 'Can injure, but rarely seriously'; a painful bite is an injury, so Low ('effectively harmless') does not fit) |

## Schumann, Cavallaro & Hoback (2012). Size Selective Predation of Fish by Hydrophilis triangularis (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) and Lethocerus americanus (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society.

https://doi.org/10.2317/jkes120116.2.1

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| adult giant water bugs ate 0.13 fish per day, and took more of the adult-sized fish than the juveniles | Each of the insect predators consumed a significantly greater number of mosquitofish from the adult size class with giant water-bugs consuming 0.13 fish per day (note: FAQ) |
| The authors warn that insect predation on small fish species could be substantial and may change the make-up of fish populations. | Insect predation of small fish species could be substantial and because size selective pressures exist, population structure of fish populations may be affected. |

## Drapeau Picard et al. (2021). “What’s This Bug?” Questions from the Public Provide Relevant Information on Species Distribution and Human–Insect Interactions. Insects.

https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12100921

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| and is drawn to lights | is attracted to lights (note: tagline; Quebec, species scope) |
| In Quebec, this species is attracted to lights and is often found in swimming pools. | the giant water bug L. americanus, which is remarkable in size, is attracted to lights and is often found in swimming pools (note: Quebec: 'surprised that such large insects could be found in Québec') |

## Lethocerus americanus (Leidy, 1847). Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=103709

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| the Heteroptera, the true bugs | Suborder Heteroptera Latreille, 1810 - true bugs (note: definition of Heteroptera, from the ITIS hierarchy) |
| Not Evaluated | Lethocerus americanus (Leidy, 1847) (note: stats.conservationStatus. No Red List assessment: the prefetch found no assessment DOI and GBIF's copy of the Red List has no category for Lethocerus americanus. ITIS is cited for the species name only. Precedent european-harvestman.) |