I find that sunfish and crayfish in my outdoor pond seem to ignore drowned slugs (although I'm not sure...never tried offering them directly); some native herps relish them, i.e. box turtles, Dekay's snakes, while otherrs reject them, As a small child, I helped my grandmother prepare land snails, and enjoyed them straight out of the shell (boiled first!)...she never ventured into slug preparation! Wouldn't mind seeing some now, very cold here in NY.
Water Scorpion Care, Feeding Photos: anyone else with experience or interest?
- Thread starter BronxZooFrank
- Start date
Hi...nice find..but don't get bit! It's a Giant Water Bug - a far more impossing beast than the water scorpion. Above is a photo of my recent failed attempt at breeding them!..They are great to keep and observe, need 6 or more inches of water and some floating wood or plants to grab onto (they do not swim well, mostly hangs head down waiting to snag food). They will take insects (including mates, see photo) but their venom is most effective on fishes and tadpoles, which they prefer. Most will take minnow, goldfish from a forceps,...some are shyer and best to leave live fish in with these. The bite (note pointed mouthparts) is said to be extremely painful. They fly at night, so be sure to cover the tank as rolling over on one in bed is no way to start the day! Enjoy, pl keep me posted, Frank
I truthfully put it in my tank to let my pacu eat it and he unfortunately was too well fed. I took the water bug back out and kept him to the side for a while. No flying occurred to my knowledge. Flightless? Like fruit flies sometimes are? The grasshopper that was in there died so I guess it got bit. Either way, put em both in the tank when they were both dead and they're ate now.
Hi...they can fly, but seem to do so only at certain times; perhaps when ponds dry up, or to seek a habitat with more food, less competition. Are attracted to lights at these times. The wings are hidden beneath thick wing covers, folded along back. Best, Frank
Nice article! I raised some Ranatra several years ago from eggs found on a piece of floating, very decayed wood in a woodland pond. The eggs were inserted in the wood, but each egg had two spikes on one end, so that there was sort of a bristly patch on the wood. Not knowing what the eggs were, I put the wood in a ten gallon tank with some hornwort. The little ones soon hatched out- the hatchlings are just like tiny adults, so there was no question of what they were. They ate chironomid and chaoborid larvae, daphnia and other zooplankton, and one another. The population dropped very rapidly, but once they reached 3/4" or so they quit cannibalizing one another. I returned them to their home pond when they were about 1 1/4" long; I wouldn't do that now, but I didn't know any better then.
very sorry for the long delay...Impressive eyes you have there! thanks so much for the interesting observation and info; not much is known about releasing inverts within natural habitat, but on a small scale I wouldn't worry too much. Best, Frank
used to watch them snatch tiny minnows in the creek by my house. nice to see some one else taking an interest in underwater bugs lol
Thanks..I can't understand why they and others are ignored...so many interesting species; trying to breed giant water bugs right now, best, Frank
Awesome article, how neat, and awesome that you bond with others through a mutual interest! 👍
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