Great Silver Water Beetle

Facts about Great Silver Water Beetles, "Scientific name for Great Silver Water Beetle is hydrophilic piceus". The Great Silver Water Beetle is a common beetle in the water scavenger beetles. This beetle is the largest water beetle in the United Kingdom. Like the name suggests, this beetle lives in aquatic habitats and is native to the Palearctic eco zone where it much occurs throughout Eurasia extending to north Africa, to the Mediterranean, Russia and as far as east of India from Scandinavia. Great Silver Water Beetles distribution is not continuous in some areas and has therefore been considered extinct. Some of these regions include Luxembourg and Norway. In some regions where the Great Silver Water Beetles is rare, it will only be found in relictual and other very specific habitat types. In other regions the Great Silver Water Beetles can be found in ponds and lakes. The Great Silver Water Beetles has been found in elevations of over a 3280 feet (1000 meters). In Greece, the Great Silver Water Beetle is common in estuaries and lagoons. In Great Britain, however, it lives in marshy areas and in ditches with thick vegetation.


Attributes of the Great Silver Water Beetle

The great silver water beetle has a black body with a very shiny underside in water mainly due to the thin film of air trapped under its body. Often, the Great Silver Water Beetles is classified amongst the largest aquatic insects as it can grow to reach lengths of over 2 inches (5 cm) and measure about 3/4 inches (2 cm) in width. The head alone may be over a 25/64 (1 cm) long. For a better view of its environment, this water scavenger has protruding eyes and a reddish-brown antenna.


Both the Dysticidae and Hydrophilidae are very similar in appearance. However, the Dysticidae possesses a filiform antenna while else the Hydrophilidae has short clubbed antennae. This characteristic, however, can be confused if not observed carefully. The maxillary palps of the Hydrophilidae are a little bit elongated and resemble filiform antennae. The Hydrophilidae also has a keel-shaped spine in between the legs. They use this spine to scrap off their main diet, algae from rocks. On the other hand, adults and larvae precarious beetles are predatory.


Habitat of Great Silver Water Beetle

Often, there are the three families of beetles that are generally found frequenting fresh stream water, lakes and ponds. Most families of the Great Silver Water Beetles are very rare to find and are therefore collected by experts. The three commonly found beetles are easily distinguishable from other aquatic beetles mainly due to their cd shapes. Their ova flattened appearance, a long elongated an seemingly streamline makes the great silver water beetle a very avid swimmer. Their legs have roes of elongate hair that allows the beetle to easily maneuver through water.


Feeding And Reproduction of Great Silver Water Beetle

The feeding characteristic of the adult great silver beetle is that of an omnivore. However, the beetle prefers feeding on plant materials to other smaller insects. The larvae on the other hand feed on freshwater snails of the family Lymnnaedae. The larvae drill holes into the shells of these snails to feed on them. The grubs, before pupating in the mud, can reach lengths of over (7 cm). During spring, the adult female spins a cocoon and fills it with eggs then sets it afloat. Although most of the Great Silver Water Beetle die within a year, the great silver water beetle can live up to three years.