My Home: I am found in freshwater ponds, streams, lakes that have aquatic plants. I am attracted to night lights and can fly out of the water.
What I eat:
I am primarily an herbivore. I have a soft tube
shaped mouth part that I use to suck in nourishment from aquatic plants and algae.
I use my saliva (spit on the food) to dissolve it so I can suck the juices back in with my soft tube mouth part. I can not bite.
What I look like:
My body is dark brown or black, about 1/2" long, an elongated
shape, with short front legs that have a scoop on the end that I use to gather food.
I use my oar shaped hind legs to swim, and I swim right side up. I carry my air supply with me, under my
shell. I have wings and can fly at night because I am attracted to artificial lights.
How I am born:
I go through three stages of development or incomplete metamorphosis: egg, nymph and adult.
My egg is attached to underwater
plants and rocks. I hatch into a nymph and will molt to reach my adult form. I receive my wings in my last molt.
It takes me around 6 weeks to go from egg to adult. I can live about a year and even under ice as long as there are air bubbles.