One big beetle

By Aaron Horrell

Spring is a good time to catch one of North America's largest beetles, the giant water scavenger beetle. If you leave an outside night light on for a few hours, you are likely to attract this beetle.

During winter this insect has the ability to survive buried in the mud at the bottom of a pond. In spring it makes a spiderweb-like case in which it lays eggs and attaches to a floating stick or other debris.

The adult giant water scavenger beetle is a good flier and can easily fly from one body of water to another. The hairs on its hind legs assist in making it a fast swimmer.