14 replies to this topic

[NotCousteau]

I've fished my whole life, but just finally encountered a marsh treader the other day. It was amazing. I shot this short video:

[Evan P]

I find it incredibly odd that you haven't seen one before! I pull at least one up in every sweep of the seine done here in the southeast corner of MN.

[Riffledace]

This is actually a water scorpion. Marsh threaders are much smaller and live on the water's surface.

[NotCousteau]

I find it incredibly odd that you haven't seen one before! I pull at least one up in every sweep of the seine done here in the southeast corner of MN.

I probably haven't been looking close enough. These guys are so well-camouflaged.

[NotCousteau]

This is actually a water scorpion. Marsh threaders are much smaller and live on the water's surface.

Ah, you're right! Thanks!

[gerald]

Water scorpions are fun to keep in a small aquarium - will eat small worms, insects, tadpoles. 

Yes they can fly, so keep a screen cover on.

[Kanus]

I didnt know what marsh treaders were until you posted this, and now I realize I saw some last week, so thanks for pointing these out!

Water scorpions are really neat. Yesterday I snorkeled in a Florida spring and saw several. Hopefully the photos turned out well. They were hanging on mats of floating algae attempting to snag passing mosquitofish from the looks of it.

[NotCousteau]

Gerald, I thought about keeping it but it was so new to me that I thought I better not. Maybe next time. They are super cool.

Kanus, I was mistaken and this is a kind of water scorpion. I can't seem to edit the topic headline.

[MtFallsTodd]

That's a crazy looking insect!!

[don212]

see these all the time in my dipnet, do they sting? something got me recently , felt like a really bad wasp sting, and i suspect this fellow

[gerald]

I've handled dozens if not hundreds of water scorpions and never been jabbed by their beak, but I guess its possible if you mishandle them in just the right (wrong) way.  I've never seen one make an effort to bite.  More likely you got jabbed by a backswimmer (Notonecta) or another water bug (Belostomatidae or Naucoridae) - they all have a beak and inject venom to paralyze and digest their prey, and readily use it for defense.

[NotCousteau]

That's a crazy looking insect!!

 

see these all the time in my dipnet, do they sting? something got me recently , felt like a really bad wasp sting, and i suspect this fellow

 I thought the same thing, MtFallsTodd. It was fascinating to watch.

don212, this is what the Encyclopedia Britannica says about the water scorpion's bite: "The bite of the water scorpion is painful but is far less harmful to humans than the sting of the true scorpion."

I gently scooped this one up in my hand for a closer look and then put it back in the water with no bites or issues.

[don212]

some scorpions are extremely deadly, some only annoying, i guess if it's not a crustacean i'll just avoid touching water borne arthopods 

[Betta132]

That's not actually a scorpion. They're called water scorpions, but they don't have stinging tails, they're just referred to as water scorpions because the guy who named them thought they looked like scorpions. In fact, their 'tails' are actually tubes that they use to breathe air.

Those guys are also called water stick insects. There's five billion of them living in our neighbor's neglected-for-five-years pool and growing fat on tadpoles. 

[Fleendar the Magnificent]

I've caught a bunch of them, usually at least one with every dipnet scoop. Never thought to keep one. I am not one who likes insects that much. Especially BIG insects that can escape through extremely small holes and that fly.