What do YOU call these bugs?

[Calvin45]

My 5 year old stomped out one of these huge water bug/water beetle/toebiter things on my deck this morning. It is so massive and meaty it looks like you could give it an egg wash, toss it in corn starch, deep fry it and serve it with a Buffalo blue cheese dip!

I've heard them called a few things, what do they call them in your neck of the woods AND do you have any experiences with them?

 

[26Reload]

Not a real good pic to see what it was...
But I'd say a deadbug.....
Definitely leave a mark on the windshield.....

 

[Calvin45]

It's these guys. Officially I think it's the giant North American water bug or something like that

 

[338 dude]

Creepy!

 

[26Reload]

Yep..looks like a nasty water beetle of somekind....but it's not a water boatman..
Boamans are smaller..but like to chew on kois a lot bigger than themselves.....

 

[Calvin45]

Every spring and fall we get lots of these up here, they're harmless but kind of creepy as 338 dude said, and they're heavy enough that they get your attention when one flies into the side of your head full speed!!!! . This happens from time to time. I was just curious what people in other parts of the continent call them, always hear some interesting local nicknames for critters.

They are very proficient and vicious hunters in the water. They prey on minnows and small fish, other bugs, frogs and other amphibians, small snakes, basically if they can get their legs wrapped around it and bite it it's on the menu. They are a "true bug" in that they have no moving mouthparts, no jaws, just a proboscis tube which they pierce their prey with, injecting it with flesh-melting enzymes before "drinking" the liquified insides of their unfortunate victims through their "straw". I'm so glad I'm not a small fish sometimes….

They wouldn't ever intentionally seek to bite a human but apparently can and do if handled roughly and confined against their will (which can happen if they get stuck in a boot hence the name toe biter), as would most any bug or animal. I've heard that it hurts.

 

[FrogFire7]

I was going to suggest that it was a giant water bug/beetle. Pretty predatory, and if it liquefies bug organs, I'm positive I don't want it biting me!

 

[26Reload]

So...no mandibles......hmmm
Liquefied the bodies of prey....
Sounds like a cousin to a spider...
Verrrrry iinteresting

 

[26Reload]

 

[26Reload]

Here are a couple I saw this year while hunting.....

 

[epags]

Are you sure they are not cicadas?

Where billions of cicadas will emerge this spring (and over the next decade), in one map

Cicadas will hear the call of spring. And then you’ll hear their mating calls, too.

www.vox.com

Edit: Oops I see you are from Central Canada.....maybe too cold for cicadas?

 

[Calvin45]

Are you sure they are not cicadas?

Where billions of cicadas will emerge this spring (and over the next decade), in one map

Cicadas will hear the call of spring. And then you’ll hear their mating calls, too.

www.vox.com

Edit: Oops I see you are from Central Canada.....maybe too cold for cicadas?

Oh it's definitely a water bug, i wasn't asking what it was so much as if there's any goofy names for the dang things from around North America…I think they're pretty ubiquitous all over the place.

 

[Calvin45]

Here are a couple I saw this year while hunting.....
View attachment 570230View attachment 570231

What are those? Are those cicadas?

 

[jessej]

My 5 year old stomped out one of these huge water bug/water beetle/toebiter things on my deck this morning. It is so massive and meaty it looks like you could give it an egg wash, toss it in corn starch, deep fry it and serve it with a Buffalo blue cheese dip!

I've heard them called a few things, what do they call them in your neck of the woods AND do you have any experiences with them?

Toe biter in my neck of the woods.