Water Strider

Surface of calm freshwater sources including ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams.

Predatory; feeds on small insects that fall onto the water's surface, using vibrations to locate prey.

Uses surface tension to skate across water; middle legs provide propulsion while back legs act as rudders.

Beneficial to ecosystems as a natural form of pest control by eating mosquito larvae and other surface-dwelling insects; harmless to humans.