Wrestling Waterbug | DeWetsWild

Family Belostomatidae

The Giant Waterbugs – the South African species, of which there are 7, grow up to 9cm long! – are fierce insect predators that inhabit well vegetated ponds, marshes and slow-flowing streams. These insects store air in a chamber underneath their wings allowing them to stay submerged while hunting for prey. They’ll catch and devour anything that they can overpower, including insects, tadpoles, frogs and fish. The adults are strong fliers and often attracted to outside lights. In five of the local species the male carries the eggs on his back until the larvae hatch, which is why they’re also called Brooding Waterbugs, while the remaining two species simply attach their eggs to vegetation.