The movement of water into submerged prey during feeding by the aquatic bug Ranatra dispar (Heteroptera: Nepidae), the water stick insect

Abstract

By the use of a fluorescent dye it was shown that, during feeding by an aquatic bug, water from the external environment passes into the prey's body though puncture holes from previous feeding sites. Such a phenomenon, resulting in the diluting of the prey's body contents, may be used as a physiological stimulus to detect the quality of the prey, leading to movement to another part of the prey's body or discarding the prey.