Giant water bug pond release!
I found this critter at my work. I've only seen a giant water bug once before so I knew a little bit about the insect.
They are a fierce aquatic predator, who will lie very still either underwater or at the surface clinging to plantlife. There they very patiently wait for prey to draw near enough for the giant water bug to snatch them up in its powerful forearms, plunging its rostrum (beak) deep into its prey. It then Injects a very powerful venom which serves to paralyze and liquefy the innards of its prey, making it easy to suck up through its rostrum.
Oh and they can fly!
"Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or colloquially as toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks, or alligator fleas (in Florida). They are the largest insects in the order Hemiptera, and occur worldwide, with most of the species in North America, South America, Northern Australia, and East Asia. They are typically encountered in freshwater streams and ponds. Most species are at least 0.75 in (2 cm) long, although smaller species also exist. The largest are members of the genus Lethocerus, which can exceed 4.75 in (12 cm) and nearly reach the length of some of the larger beetles in the world. Giant water bugs are a popular food in parts of southeast Asia." - Wikipedia
I know this bug sounds pretty vicious but as you will see in this video of me releasing it into a pond. They aren't so bad if you are gentle and non threatening.
All in all it's a really fascinating creature and I think It's really cool that they live here in Alberta, Canada.
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So cool! I feel like you were expecting him to make a big splash and swim away hahaha
'Cmon, DO something!'
LoL yeah exactly. I was expecting it to be like a fish and dart off.