cool-critters:Great diving beetle (Dytiscus marginalis) The great diving beetle is a large aquatic
cool-critters: Great diving beetle (Dytiscus marginalis) The great diving beetle is a large aquatic diving beetle native to Europe and northern Asia, and is particularly common in England. The great diving beetle, true to its name, is a rather sizable insect. The larvae can grow up to 60 millimetres (2.4 in) in length, while the adults are generally between 27–35 millimetres (1.1–1.4 in). These beetles live in fresh water, either still or slow-running, and seem to prefer water with vegetation. The male’s wing cases are shiny, while those of the female are finely grooved. A voracious predator, this beetle hunts a wide variety of prey including small fish. They are able fliers, and fly usually at night. They use the reflection of moonlight to locate new water sources. This location method can sometimes cause them to land on wet roads or other hard wet surfaces. Before they dive, they collect air bubbles in their wing cases which goes through the spiracles. photo credits: wiki, wiki, wiki, Mark Skevington -- source link