What Kind Of Bug Is This That Was In My Pool?

[NullQwerty]

Hey folks,

I've got a bug living in my pool that I've never seen in my pool before or in nature. It was big...like 4 inches. Skinny. Had long legs...4 of them...otherwise I would have guessed it was a type of spider. And it had long antennas that were actually pinchers come off the front of it's head. Oh...and it was black.

Also, it was a really good swimmer and it was very curious about me...and I was out of the pool at the time, but I swear it saw me.

I've attached a police artist rendering of the bug. Any idea what this could be? This is in Massachusetts.

 

[NWMNMom]

Round these parts we call it a Water Bug - don't know what the real name is....

 

[NullQwerty]

Really? Out here we have a bug that we call a water bug, but it's different, and it's a lot smaller. Like only 1". This sucker I've never seen before. Can't help but wonder how they spontaneously appear either.

**Edit** What we call water bugs are apparently referred to as waterboatmen. But yeah that's not what this thing was.

I'm assuming once the pool is officially open it'll be long dead anyway...I was just curious.

 

[NWMNMom]

Oh we have the Boatmen and Backswimmers too - the thing that I think you are talking about I have seen in the river and ponds - they are huge and prehistoric looking. Ewwwww

 

[MikeInTN]

Did it look like this?

[attachment=0:1c6gxdi1]toe biter.jpg[/attachment:1c6gxdi1]

If so, you've got a giant water bug aka a toe-biter. Watch your toes..

 

[jule]

If so, you've got a giant water bug aka a toe-biter. Watch your toes..

Hmm, that's one advantage of life in the "frozen tundra" <---Our bugs can't get that big! EW!

 

[NullQwerty]

Did it look like this?

[attachment=0:38kx7dzs]toe biter.jpg[/attachment:38kx7dzs]


If so, you've got a giant water bug aka a toe-biter. Watch your toes..

Thank god no!

I'll have to take the cover off and see if I can't find him and take a picture.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Here's what I found on Wikipedia

It's called a water strider. Is that what it looks like?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

ok, EWE.

 

[NullQwerty]

Oh man....I think that might be it! It was swimming under water rather than on top, but I think that's it! Nasty...I'm gonna be looking around when in the water.

 

[Steverino]

I think I'd almost rather get those - we get some big honkin' spiders. I always have to check the water surface & the skimmers before we get in. HATE spiders.

 

[sonflower]

We get baby snakes in our skimmers, usually copperheads, although not always poisonous. I was laying on a float one day and a non-poisonous baby snake slid over my ankle just as pretty as you please. (If you head a horrendous scream about a yr ago on a beautiful sunny day, that was me.)

Not sure which is worse, water bugs, that nasty critter in the picture or baby snakes.

My husband just takes out his pocket knife and cuts the snake's head off.

We also get a frog now and then but they don't bother me too much.

 

[svenpup]

I thought water strider when I saw the picture, but I didn't think they got as big as 4". Also I didn't think they could go under water.

A quick check on wikipedia confirms a max size of 36mm (1.4") and they live on the surface of water.

 

[svenpup]

Looks like a water scorpion:

Check out http://www.edupic.net/bugs.htm#aquabug

[edit] Genus Ranatra [/edit]

 

[NullQwerty]

That's it! 100%! Definitely! They're the right size too (almost 4 inches). Apparently there are multiple species with mine being of the type "Ranatra" (also called "Water Stick Insect"), and which I just looked up are present in Massachusetts.

These suckers eat Invertebrates like small fish and tadpoles. Crazy. Nasty! Actually...in person he was kind of cute. Very curious about me and the Dolphin robot I was putting in the pool at the time.

 

[svenpup]

...in person he was kind of cute. Very curious about me and the Dolphin robot I was putting in the pool at the time.

He probably thought you (and the dolphin) looked like dinner.