Giant Water Bugタガメ

Species Data

Classification

Hemiptera / Belostomatidae Source

Size

Body length 48–65 mm; females are larger, some exceeding 60 mm, while males are usually under 55 mm

Lifespan

Usually 1 year in the wild; individuals living 2–3 years in captivity are not unusual

Diet

Carnivore Seizes prey with its sickle-shaped forelegs, pierces it with its rostrum, injects digestive fluid, and sucks up the liquefied flesh through external digestion; preys on a wide range of aquatic animals including loaches, crucian carp, frogs, small fish, and dragonfly nymphs

Activity

Nocturnal and strongly attracted to light; sometimes flies to artificial lighting

Distribution

Distributed across Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China, Indochina, and the Russian Far East, favoring shallow, vegetated still waters such as rice paddies and irrigation ditches; populations have declined sharply and the species is considered threatened in Japan and Korea. Source

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

• Males climb to the egg mass and drip water onto it regularly until hatching; solitary paternal care like this is known in fewer than ten insect species worldwide. Source
• Females sometimes destroy egg masses being tended by another male to create a mating opportunity for themselves, an infanticide strategy documented only in giant water bugs among insects. Source
• Strongly attracted to artificial light, individuals often land near stadium floodlights or streetlamps and dry out to death away from water, a factor contributing to population declines. Source

FAQ

How does the giant water bug catch its prey?

It seizes fish, frogs, and other small aquatic animals with its stout, sickle-shaped forelegs, then injects digestive enzymes through its beak and sucks up the liquefied tissue. Source

Do giant water bugs care for their young?

Yes, males guard the egg mass and periodically drip water onto it to keep the eggs from drying out until they hatch, a rare example of solo paternal care among insects. Source

Why are giant water bugs declining in Japan?

Habitat loss in paddies and ponds is a major factor, and their strong attraction to artificial light also causes many individuals to land near streetlights or stadium floodlights and die of dehydration away from water. Source

How many operating facilities are registered here?

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 2 Source

Books & gear

• Giant Water Bug book
• binoculars