Ilyocoris cimicoides
FAMILY
Naucoridae
TAXONOMY
Nepa cimicoides Linné, 1758, Europe.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Saucer water bug, water bee; German: Schwimmwanze.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Rounded, oval, and beetle-like, reaching 0.59 in (15 mm) in length. Dull green, with somewhat darker forewings. Beak is short and conical. Forelegs very robust, adapted for grasping prey; middle and hind legs have long swimming hairs. Venter is covered by air-retaining hairs. Sexes are alike. Larvae resemble adults but are much smaller and wingless.
DISTRIBUTION
Southern Palearctic region, from southern Britain and the northern Iberian Peninsula eastward through China.
HABITAT
Freshwater ponds among submerged plants.
BEHAVIOR
They swim swiftly around. Males chirp to attract females. They lie in ambush, awaiting and quickly attacking prey.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Adults and larvae prey on insects and snails. Prey is killed with a poison injected with the beak and is sucked empty.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Mating occurs on the bottom or on supports in the water. The male mounts the back of the female, grasps her with the forelegs and middle legs with his axis at a slight angle to hers, and copulates at the left side of her abdomen. Eggs are embedded in rows into stems or leaves.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
They readily bite if carelessly handled; bites are extremely painful. They may be a nuisance to fish fry in fishery ponds.
