Not to be outdone by the millipedes, the water bugs (members of the genus, Abedus) appear to have been experiencing springtime’s call to mate as well.
While the water bugs were never observed in the act of mating, they have been laying eggs.
There are many challenges that face aquatic animals looking for spots to lay eggs. Unpredictably changing water levels can leave eggs high and dry, or place the hatchlings too far below the water line. Predators love to snack on defenseless eggs. Even a single torrential rain can wash eggs off a formerly safe substrate and even physically damage them.
Water bugs have evolved an ingenious solution for these problems. The female deposits the eggs on the male’s back. Although the eggs slow him down as he moves through the water, the male is well able to take care of himself even with the extra passengers. Simply by behaving in ways that promote his own survival, his offspring are kept at the right water level and safe from harm until they hatch. Typical of the hemiptera or true bugs, the water bug has a piercing, sucking mouthpart. This mouthpart, called a rostrum, can give a painful jab to predators, just right for defending the father water bug and his young.
In our case, it seems that there were some extra eggs. The male had no more room, so the female deposited the remaining eggs on the surface of pump that recirculates water for the exhibit. Had the eggs remained there, it would have been a short life for the babies. The pump is powerful enough to pull them right in. So Animal Care staff removed the eggs, on the inactivated pump, into a hatchery where they can more safely develop and hatch.
Good luck to these eggs. We hope the extra care pays off. Remember to check back on this blog or visit Pacific Science Center’s Insect Village to follow up on the status of the hatchling water bugs!
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