Fauna
Insect

North American Common Water Strider

Aquarius remigis

Also known as Common Water Strider, Pond Skater, Water Skipper, Jesus Bug

Common water striders glide across calm streams and slow-moving rivers using hydrophobic leg hairs that trap air and prevent them from breaking the surface film. They detect subtle ripples through their feet to locate struggling insects trapped on the water, quickly darting over to capture prey with sharp mouthparts. Adults overwinter under leaf litter along stream banks before emerging in spring to mate and deposit eggs on submerged plant stems.

AquaticPredatorySurface Dweller
North American Common Water Strider reference1 / 7
(c) Gavin Slater, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMosquito Larvae, Fallen Insects, Midges
Predators
  • Fish
  • Frogs
  • Water Birds
ThreatsWater pollution, severe drought, habitat degradation
HabitatsStreams, rivers, ponds, and calm lake margins
Life span1–2 years
Classification
  1. OrderHemiptera
  2. FamilyGerridae
  3. GenusAquarius
  4. SpeciesAquarius remigis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Observation: Watch calm stream pools where light casts distinct leg-shadow dimples on the stream bed.
  • Disturbance: Avoid sudden movements or casting sharp shadows, which trigger rapid escape skitters.
Related species
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