Backswimmer

Natural Habitat

Stagnant or slow-moving freshwater such as ponds, lakes, marshes, and sometimes swimming pools.

Diet & Feeding

Predatory; they eat other aquatic insects, tadpoles, small fish, and crustaceans by piercing them with their proboscis.

Behavior Patterns

They are famous for swimming upside down on their backs. They carry a bubble of air under their wings to breathe underwater and are capable of flying to find new water sources.

Risks & Benefits

They provide ecological benefits by controlling mosquito larvae populations. However, they can deliver a painful 'beelike' sting to humans if handled, giving them the nickname 'water bees'.

Identified on: 4/24/2026