Abstract
This chapter discusses the true bugs—Hemiptera. Aquatic bugs are harmless unless picked up, but some species can produce a temporary but painful “bite” when their proboscis pierces an incautiously grasping hand—which has happened to the authors more than once. Some biting bugs, such as backswimmers (Notonectidae) and giant water bugs (Belostomatidae) are occasionally pests in swimming pools when accidentally encountering humans. The presence of large numbers of aquatic bugs is sometimes an indicator of water pollution. Although they are not necessarily more resistant to toxins than other insects, they avoid problems encountered by other aquatic insects under polluted, low oxygen levels because most bugs obtain their oxygen directly from the atmosphere rather than from dissolved supplies. Aquatic bugs can be identified by their highly modified mouthparts which are shaped into a tube-like rostrum used to suck liquified prey tissue into the bug's body.
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