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If you think you are a good swimmer, you might take a few lessons from the tiny insect called the backswimmer. This tiny insect, that is no more than half an inch in length, spends its entire life in the water and with the exception of surfacing for air most of that time is swimming on its back. Found in the Hemiptera order of true bugs, the backswimmer is part of the Heteroptera suborder and Notonectidae family. They can usually be observed swimming just below the surface in still waters such as those found in ponds, the calm surfaces of some streams, lakes, swamps and small fresh water inlets of some rivers. This small insect has very large eyes that appear to take up a good portion of its head area. Their bodies are rather oval shaped and in most species show various markings of orange, yellow or black. Occasionally a species with red markings can be found as well. The three genus of this family include the Notonecta, Anisops and Buenoa, each of which has slightly different distinguishing characteristics. While the backswimmers in the Buenoa tend to spend the majority of the time motionless beneath the surface of the water, the Notonecta genus can be seen swimming tirelessly or occasionally resting just at the surface of the water. The Anisops genus is most often found in areas of South Africa.
Backswimmers are best observed during the early months of spring during their mating season. While the young will be difficult, if not impossible, to observe the adults can easily be seen. When you discover a calm body of fresh water look for the tiny creature swimming just under the water. The back legs of this creature will be long for the size of its body and used to move the insect around in the water. On closer inspection you might notice that these long legs are angled toward the insects head. In some species the backswimmer will appear to be suspended from the surface of the water but just beneath it. It is interesting to note that the backswimmer is capable of taking in air using three tiny rows of hair like appendages that are found on their stomachs. These form minute chambers in which the oxygen is trapped for the insect to breathe while it is beneath the water. From time to time the backswimmer will surface to empty and refill these chambers with a fresh supply of air.
When you observe a backswimmer that is moving along the surface the tiny insect might well be looking for food. The main diet of this interesting insect may consist of other smaller insects, water fleas, copepods, minute fishes and tadpoles. These small bugs are equipped with beak-like mouth parts that enable them to pierce their prey and suck out the juices. The predators of the backswimmer include larger fish, giant water bugs, diving beetles, water scorpions, some birds and other larger insects. For the fisherman it is interesting to note that when the number of backswimmers on the waters surface are plentiful, there is most likely few or no fish beneath the surface.
The backswimmer is a shy creature that will speed away at the slightest disturbance. The oxygen that is trapped in the chambers of their body not only supplies them with air, but also keeps them afloat. Although groups of these tiny insects can be found swimming together, if a habitat becomes too crowded they have wings that allow them to fly away to find another water source. During the mating season the males approach the females making a sound to attract her that is inaudible to human ears. Once mating has occurred the female will attach her eggs to the stems of underwater vegetation. The eggs will hatch in around three weeks producing minute nymphs. The nymphs take only about eight weeks to mature into adults, which mate to produce another generation. During the winter adult’s move underwater for protection from the cold but with some species the backswimmer can be seen throughout the year.
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