Water bugs are a diverse group of aquatic insects including water scorpions, pond skaters, water measurers, water crickets, backswimmers and lesser water-boatmen. They play important roles in the ecology of lakes and ponds and are useful indicators of habitat diversity. After water beetles, bugs are one of the most diverse groups of invertebrates found during pond-netting surveys of still waters.
There are 66 regularly-occurring British species, 54 of which can be found in Yorkshire. Many of these are quite distinctive and all can be keyed-out using a hand lens or low power microscope. This makes water bugs an accessible group for anyone wanting to hone their skills in identifying aquatic invertebrates beyond family level.
Places are limited, so let aheathcote@freshwaterhabitats.org.uk know as soon as you can, if you’d like to attend.
The Friends of Rawcliffe Meadows 