Dytiscidae facts for kids
The Dytiscidae are a family of water beetles. People often call them predaceous diving beetles. The name "Dytiscidae" comes from a Greek word meaning "able to dive." These beetles are great swimmers!
Most of these beetles are about 25 millimeters (about one inch) long. The biggest one, called Dytiscus latissimus, can grow up to 45 millimeters long. That's almost two inches!
Diving beetles are usually dark brown, black, or dark green. Some types have shiny golden spots. Their babies, called larvae, are known as "water tigers." These water tigers are fierce hunters! They eat small water creatures like tadpoles and glassworms. They will eat almost anything small that lives in the water. There are about 4,000 different kinds, or species, of Dytiscidae beetles. They belong to over 160 different groups, called genera.
Contents
What Do Diving Beetles Eat?
Diving beetles are predators, meaning they hunt other animals for food. They eat many small creatures in the water.
Do Humans Eat Diving Beetles?
Yes, some people in different parts of the world eat certain kinds of diving beetles!
- In Mexico, a beetle called Cybister explanatus is roasted and salted. People put them on tacos.
- In Japan, Cybister japonicus is eaten as food.
- In Guangdong Province, China, several types of these beetles are a meal.
- The great diving beetle (Dytiscus marginalis) is even raised for people to eat.
- Diving beetles have also been eaten in Taiwan, Thailand, and New Guinea.
Who Else Eats Diving Beetles?
It's not just humans who enjoy these beetles! Birds and other small animals also eat diving beetles as part of their diet.
Images for kids
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Larva of the European diving beetle Dytiscus marginalis
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Dytiscidae sp.
See also
In Spanish: Ditíscidos para niños
