Common pond skater  (Gerris lacustris)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

Adults emerge after over wintering towards the end of April or in early May, and females lay eggs in May. The eggs take around 12-14 days to develop, but the time taken until hatching is dependent on the temperature. Bugs undergo a type of development known as incomplete metamorphosis in which the larvae or 'nymphs' progress through a series of moults. The stages between moults are known as 'instars'; in this species there are 5 instars, each one progressively longer than the last. It takes between 24 and 30 days for pond skater larvae to develop into adults, with winged forms taking longer to reach maturity (3).

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