Common Water Strider vs Pedician Crane Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Common Water Strider	Pedician Crane Fly
Scientific Name	Aquarius remigis	Pedicia rivosa
Order	Hemiptera	Diptera
Family	Gerridae	Pediciidae
Size	11-16 mm	18-25 mm body length
Habitat	Rivers & Streams	Rivers & Streams
Diet	Omnivores	Herbivores
Regions	Throughout North America	Europe, Northern Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Common Water Strider

A slender dark brown insect that skates across the surface of streams and ponds using water surface tension. Its long middle and hind legs distribute its weight over the water film.

💡

Did You Know?

Tiny hydrophobic hairs on its legs trap air and repel water, allowing it to stand on the surface without breaking through.

Pedician Crane Fly

A large, mottled-winged crane fly whose predatory larvae hunt invertebrates in wet mud and stream margins. Adults are often found resting on vegetation near flowing water.

💡

Did You Know?

Unlike most crane fly larvae that eat decaying matter, its larvae are voracious predators that ambush worms and insect larvae in mud.