Predaceous Diving Beetle
Scientific Name: Dytiscidae family (likely Agabus or Ilybius genus)
Order & Family: Order Coleoptera, Family Dytiscidae
Size: 3 mm to 35 mm (depending on species)
Natural Habitat
Freshwater environments such as ponds, lakes, marshes, and occasionally swimming pools.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous. Adults and larvae (water tigers) eat aquatic insects, tadpoles, and small fish.
Behavior Patterns
Excellent swimmers that carry an air bubble under their wing covers to breathe underwater. They are often attracted to artificial lights at night.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits the ecosystem by controlling mosquito populations; larger species can deliver a painful (though non-toxic) bite to humans if handled.
Identified on: 6/22/2026