Crawling water beetles
Haliplidae · Aquatic life
Photo: Udo Schmidt / CC BY-SA
Also called Haliplids, Haliplus, Peltodytes
How to identify Crawling water beetles
- Small, yellowish to tan oval beetles about 1/8 to 3/16 inch, with rows of dark dots on the wing covers
- Large plates cover the base of the hind legs on the underside
- Crawl over algae and plants more than they swim; swim with alternating leg strokes
- Larvae are slender and stiff with long spines or a long tail
Similar species
Small diving beetles are smoother, darker and swim with both hind legs together. Water scavenger beetles are usually darker and shinier.
Profile
| Season | Adults present most of the year; most noticeable in summer. |
|---|---|
| Starts | Active from spring as water warms |
| Depth | Shallow plant beds and algae mats |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Winged adults fly |
| Habitat | Shallow, weedy edges of ponds, lakes and slow streams with filamentous algae or stoneworts. |
Why it matters in a lake
Harmless grazers of filamentous algae and stoneworts. A sign of healthy shallow plant beds.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Coleoptera |
| Family | Haliplidae |
| Scientific name | Haliplidae |
Midge larvae (bloodworms)
Mosquito larvae
Dragonfly nymphs
Damselfly nymphs
Water boatmen
Backswimmers
Predaceous diving beetles
Water striders
Mayfly nymphs
Caddisfly larvaeNeed a hand?
Found it in your lake?
Send us a photo and we will identify it and tell you what it means for your lake.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596