Page 178 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

178 ATLAS OF THE WORLD’S STRANGEST ANIMALS

Comparisons

Despite their name, great silver water beetles (Hydrophilus piceus) are bubbles in the hairs on the underside of their body, and the bubbles
greenish-black not silver. Like their relatives, the great diving beetles, give them their silver sheen.Although larger than great diving beetles in
these are aquatic insects, who breathe underwater by trapping air size, these insects aren’t predators but algae-loving herbivores.

Great diving beetle Great silver water beetle

Around one out of every three insects is a beetle.There though, spend at least part of their life cycle in water, often
are an estimated 370,000 recognized species and these in the immature, larval stage. Great diving beetles are
incredible creatures can be found in every part of the equally happy on land and in the air, but water is their
world apart from the oceans and the Poles.Although this true element.They spend their whole lives, both as larvae
diverse and hugely successful family varies enormously, and adults, in and around still or slow-running water and
diving beetles are perhaps one of the strangest members of their bodies are superbly equipped for this aquatic lifestyle.
the order Coleoptera, in that they’re aquatic. Adult beetles have greenish-black, streamlined bodies
It’s easy to think that all insects fall into just two distinct with yellow piping around the edges. Like all insects, they
groups.The ‘creepy crawlies’ who spend their lives have three pairs of jointed legs, and they swim by rowing
burrowing through the earth and the colourful ‘fliers’, like along with their hairy hind legs, while their middle legs
the moths, who brighten up our gardens. Many insects, steer.As their name implies, great diving beetles aren’t

It may be a water specialist, but this flexible insect takes to Resting on the surface of a newly discovered pond, the beetle
the air to spy out new hunting grounds. replenishes its air supply, ready to go fishing!

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.