Subject: Water Boatman nymph, the Water Boatmen family, Corixidae

Location: Upshur County, West Virginia

Stock Number: 06-25517

Comment: A key characteristic of this family is the head that is notably wider than the prothorax. Another thing that sets Water Boatmen apart from other True Bugs is their ability to consume some solid food and not just liquids.

Water Boatmen are sometimes present in ponds in astonishing numbers, and likewise they often come in numbers to lights. There are more than 120 species here in the Nearctic, but identifying a particular insect to species is a definite challenge.