“Creeping Water Bugs”
Genus Overview
The family Naucoridae includes 5 North American genera with roughly 20 species. However, Pelocoris is the only genus found in the East. Pelocoris typically inhabits ponds or quiet water. They are generally thought as clingers, but are good swimmers as well. They are piercing predators, feeding on other small invertebrates. Adults of some species have up to four million tiny hydrophobic hairs per square mm that help hold a bubble of air (plastron) against the ventral spiracles while underwater. Some species also fan this plastron with their hind legs, to increase the current moving across it, and thus increase the diffusion of oxygen from the water.
Characteristics
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Mid-Atlantic: 7 and higher
0 = least tolerant, 10 = most tolerant
FEEDING HABITS
Piercer / Predator
MOVEMENT
Climber
Swimmer
Swimmer
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread (east of the Rocky Mtns.)
HABITAT
Lentic-littoral
Diagnostic Characters
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