The ppt contains general overview of Belostoma Giant Water Bug.

1. BELOSTOMA
(GIANT WATER BUG)

2. CLASSIFICATION
 PHYLUM- ARTHHOPODA
 CLASS - INSECTA
 ORDER- HEMIPTERA
 FAMILY – BELOSTOMITIDEA
 GENUS- LETHOCERUS

3. Basic information
 Common Name – Giant Water Bug
 Other Name – Toe- Biter; Electric Light Bug
 Scientific name – Lethocerus
 Category – true bug

4. General indentification
 Size (adult) – 40mm to 62mm (1.56in to 2.42in)
 Identifying colors – brown, black

6. MORPHOLOGY
 Also known as toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks or
fleas.
 They are the largest insect in order hemiptera.
 Freshwater animal.
 Their body are oval and elongated in shape and appear flattened.
 They have raptorial fronts legs, made for grasping prey, with thick
femora.
 They have short heads, and even shorter then antennae, which
are tucked beneath the eyes

7.  A short breating tube can be retracted into its abdomen.
 Adults cannot breath under water, so must periodically place the
breathing tube at the surface for air
 They make their homes at the bottom of muddy water or
surrounding vegetation.
 Ther are used to catch underwater prey like small fish,frogs and
sometimes snakes.

8. FEEDING AND DEFENCE
 Belostomide are agressive predators which stalk, capture, and
feed on aquatic invertebrates,snails,crustaceans,fish and
amphibians.
 They often lie motionless at the bottom of a body of water,
attached to various objects, where they wait for prey to come
near.
 Then they strike injecting a powerful digestive saliva with their
rostrum.
 Their bite is so painful,it is of no medical significance.

9.  When encountered by a larger predator, such as a human, they
have been known to “play dead” and most species can emit a
smelly fluid from their anus. Due to this they are assumed dead by
human only to later “come alive” with painfull results.

10. BREEDING
 Belostomatids show paternal care.
 In species of the subfamily belostomatinae, the eggs are tpically laid on
male’s wing and carried until they hatch.
 The male cannot mate during this periods.
 The male invest considerable time and energy in reproduction and female
take role of actively finding males to mate.

11. AS A FOOD
 In some areas, belostomatides are considered a delicacy, and can be found for
sale in markets.
 Mainly in south and southeast asia involving the different species.
 In south and southeast asia they are often collected for this purpose using
large floating traps on ponds, set with black light to attract the bug.
 Adult fly at night, like many aquatic insects, and are attracted to lights during
the breeding season.

12. GIANT WATER BUG BITE
 The bites are painfull, but they do not cause any major harm.
 These are not lethal to humans.
 These insect have toxic saliva capable of provoking intense pain and paralysis
in vertebrates.

13. SYMPTOMS
 Initial symptomes :- itiching,redness along with bumps,the mild
sensation of burning,the mild sensation of burning, intense pain or minor
swelling or massive edema.
 Severe symptoms :- fever,vomiting, nausea and muscle cramps, rapid
heart rate, difficulty in breathing, swelling around throat and lips.

14. THANK YOU !!