Interactive Pond

Pond

Common pond skater

Gerris lacustris

An insect that walks on water, rowing across the surface on long, thin legs.

Size
About 1cm long
Look for it
March to October
Where
Ponds, ditches and slow streams

My spotter's list

Rows across the water in quick strokes. Move your pointer and see.

When to look

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Pond skater

Good to know

Six things about the pond skater

Water

Walking on water

Tiny water-repellent hairs on its feet let a pond skater stand on the surface without breaking through.

Legs

Four legs for rowing

Only the middle and back legs touch the water: the middle pair row, the back pair steer. The short front legs grab food.

Hunting

Feeling for ripples

When an insect falls into the pond, the pond skater feels the ripples through its legs and races over to catch it.

Bug

A true bug

Pond skaters are true bugs, with a sharp beak for piercing their prey and sucking out the juices.

Flying

Off to new ponds

Many pond skaters have wings and can fly away to find a new pond.

Winter

Winter on land

In winter they leave the water and hide away in moss and leaf litter until spring.

The real thing

Photos of the pond skater

Common pond skater, photo 1
Photo: Vengolis, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Common pond skater, photo 2
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Common pond skater, photo 3
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Out and about

How to spot one

Look across the surface of any still pond or water butt on a calm day. You will often see the dimples their feet make before you see the insect.

Lend a hand

How to help

Any pond helps, even a small one. Leave some open water without plants, and keep the surface free of oil and chemicals.

Keep going

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