Predaceous Diving Beetle Adult (Dytiscidae) 7 mm long.

Predaceous diving beetles vary greatly in size. The one photographed at the left was about ¼ of an inch long. Other species can get up to 1 ½ inches long.

As their name implies, they are hunters. In some species, the tarsi of the forelegs grows twisted to make raptorial claws. They feed upon just about anything they can catch, including small fish and tadpoles.

They breath through 2 openings at the end of their abdomen, and must come to the surface for air. They can carry some air under their wings in the form of a small bubble.

The larva of the predaceous diving beetle is much more impressive than the adult. They resemble long worms, sometimes over 2 inches long, with slender legs and huge jaws that look like ice tongs. They are also fierce predators, and are sometimes called water tigers. The pierce the prey with their jaws and inject enzymes which dissolve the prey's tissue. They then suck it up through tubes in the jaws.

Water tigers (predaceous diving beetle larvae) large water tiger is 58mm long

The larvae breathe through openings in their tails. They must come up to the surface to breathe but can absorb some oxygen through their skin.

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Water Scavenger Beetle

Burrowing Water Beetle

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