Insects have inhabited the earth for at least 300 million years. In those millions of years, insects have evolved into a staggering number of species. Some estimates say there are as many as 30 million different species of insects on this planet!
All You Need To Know About Water Bugs and How To Get Rid Of Them
Many people find insects creepy and annoying. Others find them fascinating and beautiful. However you feel about insects, one thing is certain: Insects play an important role in our lives, whether we live to appreciate it or not.
Insects break down leaves and other plant materials that would otherwise pile up quickly, making the environment less suitable for other living things. Bugs help make the soil fertile by eating dead animals and depositing their nutrients where plants can use them to grow strong roots systems. Finally, bugs are very important to the food chain. Just about every living thing needs insects in order to survive.
Well, at least they were around 300 million years ago.
To say that insects are a diverse group of animals is an understatement! Insects have been evolving into new shapes and sizes for thousands of centuries. In fact, some have evolved into rather bizarre forms over time. One particular type of insect tends to draw attention from people who spend a lot of time outside: water bugs. Water bugs can be huge or tiny, but what makes them so different from other types of insects?
What is a bug?
Bugs are a type of insect with jointed legs and bodies designed for an active lifestyle. They have wings, which most used for flying. However, some bugs can’t fly at all, and others only fly for short periods of time. Today’s water bugs fall into the “can fly” category.
Water bug vs. roach
Many people use the word “bug” to refer to any type of insect they find icky or annoying. While there are similarities between many different kinds of bugs, insects known as “water bugs” tend to look less like cockroaches than many other species. While water bug is a more specific term than “bug,” it still applies to many insects!
Why do water bugs live near water?
Some water bugs live in the water. They might live there all the time, or only when they are developing from egg to adult. Most of these insects have transparent bodies that allow them to blend into their surroundings reasonably well. Camouflage is a necessary adaptation for predators who want to catch their prey without being seen!
Many other types of water bugs live on land near bodies of water rather than actually in the water itself. These guys feature thicker bodies with rounder shapes that help them retain moisture even though they aren’t adapted for spending a lot of time submerged.
Water bug vs. cockroach
Although both cockroaches and water bugs tend to be called “bugs” by people outside of the insect-loving community, these insects are undoubtedly different. Roaches are the only insects that belong to the group known as “true bugs.” These are insects with needle-like mouths designed for piercing plant material and sucking out the juices inside. On the other hand, water bugs have chewing mouthparts just like most other types of bugs.
How big can water bugs get?
The biggest water bug in North America is Lethocerus americanus, which can grow over 4 inches long! However, lots of species stay much smaller than this. The average water bug is between � an inch and 2 inches long when it reaches adulthood!
What do water bugs eat?
Many water bugs are predators that dine on small fish, frogs, snails, crustaceans, and other insects. Some eat plants or decaying plant and animal matter. Others are omnivores, which means they will eat almost anything small enough for them to catch and fit in their mouths!
How do water bugs reproduce?
Different types of water bugs lay eggs in different ways. Many lay eggs directly into the water, but others use aquatic vegetation such as lily pads to keep the eggs safe until they hatch! Most water bugs have fairly short life cycles compared with other insects, but some species can live for several years. That’s a long time for a bug!
Water bug vs. mosquito
Although both mosquitoes and many types of water bugs spend part of their lives growing in standing water, these two insects are not related. Mosquitoes are flies, while water bugs belong to a group known as “true bugs.” Like cockroaches, this means that mosquitoes have needle-like mouths designed for piercing plant material and sucking out the juices inside. On the other hand, water bugs have chewing mouthparts just like most other types of bugs!
How Do Water Bugs Get In House?
When it comes to pests that people often try not to think about for very long, few species carry the stigma of form water bugs. Many water bug species are not even water bugs at all, but rather land bugs that spend part of their time in the water. Regardless, water bugs as a whole tend to be associated with filth and other unsavory traits. In reality, though water bugs may carry germs on them from another environment, they generally do not present much more of a health risk than your average household insect. Nevertheless, many people will want to know how water bugs in house found a way in and to find a way to keep these pests out.
Water Bugs Outside
Water bugs can often be found around bodies of water such as lakes or rivers. This is especially true during mating season when males and females will become particularly active in looking for a suitable partner. This means that water bugs can really be found just about anywhere there is water, as long as it is big enough for them to hide in and small enough that they can find it from time to time. Water bug eggs are also found inside water, so water bugs may lay their eggs in a fountain or pool before moving on. However, once the water bug larva hatches, it will need a safe place to rest until the next stage of its life begins – which often means finding somewhere dry near water.
Water Bugs In The House
Water bugs in house is something of a pest around homes despite their relatively low threat level. Many homeowners will try not to panic if they discover water bugs outside or even inside their house. Water bug control is relatively easy, but water bugs may move further indoors once they enter a water system. This means that water bugs will try to find their way into the house and make themselves at home. They can easily do this by crawling up water pipes and entering through faucets. While this is not always possible, it is something of a water bug’s forte – water bugs can even survive on moist air alone long enough to go from their temporary water source all the way to your bathroom or kitchen sink.
How To Get Rid Of Water Bugs?
In order to take proper action against water bugs in house, the first thing that you should do is inspect the areas where they might be hiding. These pests often invade homes through small openings around entrances and windows, making those spots the most likely candidates for water bug infestation. Make a thorough inspection of these areas before moving on to any further steps. Look under the water tank for water bugs, and inspect all floor cracks. You should also inspect behind appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers.
The next step is to get rid of water bugs in house. For this, you want to start by getting a spray bottle. Fill it with water, and add a few drops of liquid soap or detergent to it. Use this mixture on window sills and around the room’s baseboards that you think water bugs have invaded. This will help remove them from that area or slow their progress if they are just passing through. Additionally, water bugs cannot absorb water, so filling any sinks or bathtubs may force them to drown in place rather than invading your house when you’re not around.
Don’t water your plants with water from the infested room, as this might force water bugs in house to travel elsewhere in search of water. You should also take care to seal up any holes or gaps that water bugs could use to enter your home. If you want to make sure that water bugs won’t be able to get into your house at all, consider contacting a pest control company to help ensure that they don’t come back.
Be sure that you do not accidentally introduce water bugs into areas where they are not already present! One way to avoid doing this is by placing sticky traps around entrances and exits. If you see water bugs on these traps, then there’s a good chance they have invaded from outside, and you don’t need to do anything about water bugs already in your home. If water bugs are seen on the traps when there is no water source available for them, then it’s time to take action against water bugs!
The last step is to deep clean all areas that water bugs have invaded. You should start with the infested room, which you’ve inspected thoroughly by now. Proceed by wiping down all surfaces of your furniture and appliances, open up any water-resistant materials such as cereal boxes or paper bags if necessary, and remove any unnecessary clutter that water bugs could hide within.
Once this has been done, you can follow the similar procedure in other rooms of your house where water bug activity has been noticed. You may also want to consider investing in water bug traps, which will kill water bugs when they come into contact with the sticky substance inside the trap. This is unnecessary for all water bug invasions but can be useful if water bugs are found in larger numbers than expected.
