Giant Water Bug

Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects known as giant water bugs or, colloquially, toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks or alligator fleas, and are the largest insects in the order Hemiptera. About 170 species are found in freshwater habitats worldwide, more than 110 of them in the Neotropics, over 20 in Africa, almost as many in the Nearctic, and far fewer elsewhere; these predators typically live in freshwater ponds, marshes and slow-flowing streams. Most species measure at least 2 centimeters long, though some are as small as 0.9 centimeters, while the largest, members of the genus Lethocerus, can exceed 12 centimeters. Giant water bugs are also a popular food in parts of Asia.