For years, probably at least 23, Angelpond’s long-legged critters scampered across the surface of the water like squirrels did on the ice during the dead of winter. Being tiny, a close observation failed to provide proper identification. Angelkeep simply considered them a common water spider.
Watching them scamper across the surface of the pond’s liquid seemed nearly as miraculous as the Biblical story of Jesus appearing to Peter as he stood on the sea’s crest. Do you remember Peter was beckoned to join his Master? It was a test of Peter’s faith of the miraculous powers of Christ. Peter faltered until his hand was held (Matthew 14: 22-33.) Angelkeep maintained a history of many a Biblical story being resurrected due to nature observations. It’s awesome. Angelkeep’s nature and the Bible, both awesome.
Water spiders have walked on water from the very beginning of time, Angelpond time, that is. Recent photography proved Angelkeep was drowning in misinformation, like Peter’s wind- and water-fear caused him to sink.
A photo session intended to capture damselflies focused on a pond plant stalk with damselfly nymph shells attached. At the base of the stalk sat two water spiders. Enlarging the photo on a wide-screen computer monitor allowed for the examination of the bug touching the water only by standing on the tips of its six legs.
Eureka! (That’s a Greek word that means “I have found it.”) Angelkeep had indeed found an error of thinking that had been propagated well over two decades. Angelkeep knew that spiders, being the arachnid that it was, had to have eight legs. Insects, among which a spider was not a member, always has six legs, barring an accident which caused it to lose a limb — for instance a bird nearly eating it but getting nothing to swallow but a single drumstick. If spiders have eight legs, and insects have six legs, and the photographed critter being called for so many years a water spider, Angelkeep’s knowledge needed some correction.
So what was scampering across the water crest, if not a water spider?
Glad you asked. Now Angelkeep knows and can share the truth — if you can handle the truth.
The formerly-called water spiders in reality were water striders. For this event of Angelkeep’s full disclosure, the bug had many other names. Water skeeters. Water scooters. Water bugs. Pond skaters. Water skippers. Water skimmers. Even puddle flies. Never water spider. Scientifically the name was Gerridae.
Water striders reach the length of half an inch and were first identified scientifically by a man called Leach (Angelkeep did not make that name up) in 1815. Mr. Leach created a proper name for Angelkeep’s water bugs well over a century before Angelkeep discovered its error in name-calling. Fortunately, Angelkeep Journals never published a story with the incorrect name being highlighted.
Water striders are so common they can be found on almost all water features, even mud puddles. A noted entomologist declared them to superficially resemble spiders. As a result, Angelkeep took some solace in the error of its past ways, calling this bug a water spider.
Water strider legs are covered with thousands of microscopic hairs (not seen in Angelkeep’s photos) scored with tiny grooves. These hairs trap air adding to the strider’s buoyancy and ability to walk on water.
The middle set of legs were designed by their Creator (another Biblical story) to act like paddles. This was observed in a short video clip of a damselfly resting on a floating leaf when the scene was photo-bombed by a water strider rowing past the damselfly. Rear legs steered and braked, like a boat’s rudder and anchor.
Male water striders tap the water with its legs in an attractive and suggestive way to summon a mate for reproductive activity. Unfortunately this also attracted aquatic predators who would occasionally dine on a water strider temporarily unaware of its surroundings. As one research source put it, “for water striders, love is a battlefield. Popular bloggers call this a lot of things, many of them unsuitable for family audience.”
Thus, Angelkeep will close this correction apology regarding water spider vs. water strider before any additional apology becomes necessary.
Mr. Daugherty is a Wells County resident who, along with his wife Gwen, enjoy their backyard and have named it “Angelkeep.”
