Brazos Bend State Park
Pond Life
Hemiptera: The True Bugs
Order Hemiptera are the insects known as “true bugs”. The distinguishing characteristics of this order are:
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Piercing, sucking mouth parts. Most aquatic hemiptera are predators. They stab their prey with their beak-like mouth parts and inject enzymes into the prey. These enzymes dissolve the prey's internal tissue so that it can be sucked up through the beak. Be careful in handling hempitera. Most species can inflict painful bites. |
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2 pairs of wings, which are folded flat over the back when the insect is not using them. The hind wings are kept on the bottom, and are membranous. The fore wings are divided into 2 parts. The part closest to the insect's head is a tough covering while the rear part is a membranous wing like the hind wings. Hemipterans have a large triangular plate, the scutellum between the fore wings. |
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Insects in this order do not go through complete metamorphosis. The young are almost identical to the adults, except that they do not have wings.
Aquatic Hemiptera are usually tolerant of pollution. This is because they rely on surface air to breath. Some breath through long tubes in their abdomen. Others trap air under their wings and carry it underwater like small aqua lungs.
Aquatic hemiptera found at Brazos Bend State Park include:
Giant Water bugs – family Belostomatidae
Creeping Water bugs – family Naucoridae
Water scorpions – family Nepidae
Water Boatmen – family Corixidae
Backswimmers – family Notonectidae
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Giant Water Bugs |
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Insects and their Larvae |
