Insects: Introduced Species
Scientific name: Mesovelia mulsanti
Common name(s): Water treader
Status: Introduced
Habitat: The water treader lives in lowland reservoirs, ponds, and kalo lo‘i. It stays near masses of algae and floating plants.
Preferred Area of Stream: Stream margins and areas with no water velocity, and wetlands
Range in Hawai‘i: Common on all Hawaiian Islands
Diet: Hunts for small insects that may fall into the kalo lo‘i
Predators: Birds, fish, other insects like dragonflies
Fact: This true bug glides over the surface of the water very quickly. It hunts down insects, stabs them with its beak, and sucks out the juices inside. |
