This week on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast, we got a little weird and had a lot of fun. Since Ben wasn’t here, we got to talk about what we wanted and this time it was aquatic insects. Calder takes the lead and talks about many different types of bugs that could and should be part of the aquarium hobby. From diving beetles to dragonfly nymphs, there are many great options for that spare five gallon tank you have lying around, just be sure to have a tight fitting lid.
Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery
Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/
Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/
Join our growing community on Discord! https://go.watercolors.shop/discord
Sources mentioned in this episode:
AMAZONAS Magazine – https://www.amazonasmagazine.com/
Bug Guide – https://www.bugguide.net/node/view/15740
iNaturalist – https://www.inaturalist.org/
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Survey – https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/indicators-benthic-macroinvertebrates
Species mentioned in this episode:
Orders:
Odonata – Dragonflies, Damselflies, etc.
Coleoptera – Beetles
Hetetoptera – Stink bugs, Assasin bugs, Water Striders, Giant Water Bugs, etc.
Tenodera sinensis – Chinese Mantis
Anax junius – Common Green Darner Dragonfly
Thermonectus marmoratus – Sunburst Diving Beetle
Darner Dragonflies
Skimmer Dragonflies
Diving Beetle
Aquarius remigis – Water striders
Dytiscidae – Predaceous Diving Beetle
Elytra
Dytiscus marginalis – Great Diving Beetle
Cybister fimbriolatus – Fringed Diving Beetle
Gyrinidae – Whirligig beetles
Belostomatidae – Giant Water Bugs
Lethocerus americanus – Giant Water Bug
Ranatra fusca – Brown Water Scorpion
Hellgrammite – Dobsonfly larvae
Notonectidae – Back swimmers
Corixidae – Water Boatman
Dolomedes – Fishing Spiders
Argyroneta aquatica – Diving Bell Spider
Terminology mentioned in this episode:
Ootheca – a hardened, foam-like egg case produced by certain insects—most notably praying mantises and cockroaches—to protect their developing eggs
Eclosion – biological term for when an insect hatches from an egg or emerges from its pupal case as an adult
Stridulation – the act of producing a high-pitched, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing specialized body parts together; one structure acts as a “scraper” or plectrum (a sharp ridge, lip, or set of pegs), while the other acts as a “file” or stridulitrum (a finely-ridged surface)
