Water Bugs Archives

Water Bug VS Cockroach (7 Differences): How to Identify Them?

April 28, 2019April 27, 2019 by Irina

A woter bug on the finger with words "WATER BUG VS. COCKROCH" above and words "WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?" below.

Water bugs and cockroaches are often used interchangeably by people because they look a lot alike. The truth is that many people are confused in their identification of the two because it’s become so common to call a cockroach a water bug. But there’s a big difference between the two. Let’s take a look at …

All You Need to Know About Oriental Cockroach and Ways to Combat These Devils

July 25, 2019April 27, 2018 by Irina

“Cockroaches- The word is enough to scare the hell out of you,” especially when it is the case of girls you can often find them screaming and jumping at the sight of cockroaches. So are you facing such a similar situation at your home? Are you fed up with seeing oriental cockroach at your place? …

Homemade Water Bug Repellents: 5 Best Choices

June 12, 2018June 13, 2017 by Irina

Gaint water bug in water with green algae.

What are water bugs?

Water bugs are the insects that belong to the order Hemiptera. By their appearance, they look more like the household cockroaches but are entirely different bugs. They are aquatic organisms which inhabit in the areas which are swampy or are surrounded by water. They possess the aquatic habits. Hence they are known as ‘True Water Bugs.’ Unlike roaches, water bugs bites and their bites are painful for human and for the other animals. Many commercial and homemade repellents can fix the issue of water bugs present in an area.

What Causes Water Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them?

June 12, 2018June 12, 2017 by Irina

What causes water bugs

A water bug is usually referred as a general term used for different species of bugs like cockroaches. It is the other name for American cockroach. They also have a pair of wings, but they are rarely seen flying. These palmetto bugs are reddish brown in color. Some giant water bugs look a bit fierce, but there is a reason behind this. They pinch and sometimes bite their prey and anyone else who tries to hurt them or disturb them. They have hairy legs which help them to swim quickly in small ponds and streams. To escape the predator, they are capable of playing the role of the dead.

Perfect Strategies of How to Get Rid of Water Bugs

June 12, 2018June 12, 2017 by Irina

Background information about water bugs

A large number of bugs live on the water, and they are known as water bugs and are classified as true water bugs. They are classified in different suborders based on different characteristics but ‘water bug’ is used as a general term for them. However, typically all members of the group undergo metamorphosis. Have very sharp-sucking beaks and all of them breathe in air. These bugs are found in on the static water of quite ponds and streams below the surface. Nevertheless, some of them do live on flowing water as well. All of them have oval body shapes and have oar-like back legs that allow them to propel on water. The front legs are used for collecting food from different sources. Some of them are equipped with the ability to store some air beneath the wings and use it when they are submerged for longer periods.

Best Bug Repellent for Household Water Bugs

June 12, 2018June 12, 2017 by Irina

What are water bugs?

Water bugs, as the name is self-explanatory, are aquatic bugs that are attracted to water and live there. They belong from the class insect and order Hemiptera. From their appearance, they look more like the household cockroaches and sometimes people even confuse them with cockroaches because of their color and shape. There are almost 50,000 species of the water bugs. The kind of water bugs that are usually seen in the houses are the ones that are smaller in size. While other species of water bug include; giant water bug, water scorpion, water boatman, into explaining it more properly, the term ‘waterbug’ does not specifically refer to a single insect; water bugs are the different kinds of insects that are found in the water and Swampy areas. There are about one thousand five hundred species of water bugs around the world. Water bugs are oval in shape, have an antenna and a pair of six legs.

Best Ways of Effective Water Bugs and Cockroaches Identification

April 28, 2019June 12, 2017 by Irina

Complaints about cockroach and water bug People usually complain that they cannot differentiate between these two creatures as they look alike. There are two variants of cockroaches which resemble water bugs a lot which includes black shiny oriental roach and brownish red American roach. They have the same characteristics like color and outer shell like …

How to Treat Water Bug Bites (Plus Water Bug Bite Prevention)

June 12, 2018June 12, 2017 by Irina

Water bugs

Water bugs are the types of insects which are primarily found in water but may be seen on land. They have some resemblance to cockroaches and beetles. They are the large predatory insects with a sensitive side. The males carry eggs deposited by females and look after them until they hatch. Two types of water bugs are found with standard size and ones which are giant in size.Their length varies between one to two inches long while the giant ones have around two to four inches long.They have oval shaped bodies ranging from dark brown to tan color.Giant water bugs do not have lungs they breathe from their backs where the exchange of gasses takes place. Water bugs have alternative names like Giant bugs, Toe biters, alligator ticks or electric light bug.They belong to the family of Belostomatidae.They are found worldwide mostly in North and South America, East Asia and Australia. Typical habitats include ponds and streams. Water bugs are carnivores in nature. They use their forelimbs for attacking their prey. Water bugs include Backswimmer, Water Scorpion, Giant water bug, water striders and water boatman.

9 Handy Solutions to Terminate Water Bugs (Plus 9 Useful Tips)

June 12, 2018June 9, 2017 by Irina

Giant water bug with eggs for the hatch into larvae.

Water bugs are one of the most unpleasant kinds of pests that are found in the households. These critters are very nasty and cause too much trouble which makes life extremely difficult. Insects and bugs are always creepy, but in addition to this, they also contribute heavily in spreading diseases. However, there are plenty of solutions available to get these bugs out of the home and make it cleaner and safer for all the residents. These solutions will make the homes least favorable for the pests and will remove them for good.

Natural remedies are always good for such issues because they do not have any side effects for the people. An exterminator is also a good option; however, they use chemicals equipped with copper sulfate, which is equally harmful to the health of humans, especially kids. If you have kids at your home, then you might think twice to hire an exterminator as a solution. The exterminators are also very costly, and you also have to empty your house as well so that they can use their chemicals freely to remove the bugs. This can be very troublesome as well as expensive. There is no need to get involved in such hefty measures when you have natural solutions at your disposal.

【Read more about Water Bugs】

Backswimmer: General Facts and How to Prevent

June 12, 2018June 9, 2017 by Irina

Backswimmers belong to the family of Notonectidae. These species can be found worldwide. The name is given to them because they possess the ability to swim on their backs. It is in the shape of a keel and its side’s looks like the paddles of the boat. It is also known as water boatman. Some people confuse this species with a very similar looking insect named lesser water Boatman.

Basic Facts

1. Appearance and Size

The legs of backswimmers are used for propulsion. The head of the backswimmer is oval shaped which is above its elongated body and long legs. They are about 15m in length. The body color is usually dark when it is observed from the surface of the water. This water creature has reddish eyes and its oar-like paddles which them to swim. Due to bubbles in water sometimes it gives a silver appearance. The ventral sides of backswimmers are covered with hair. The female has larger bodies as compared to the male back swimmers. It can also swim upside down.