Water Strider vs Arrowhead Spiketail
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Water Strider | Arrowhead Spiketail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Gerris lacustris | Cordulegaster obliqua |
| Order | Hemiptera | Odonata |
| Family | Gerridae | Cordulegastridae |
| Size | 8-10 mm | 70-80 mm |
| Habitat | Ponds & Lakes | Forests |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, Asia | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Water Strider
Walks on water using hydrophobic leg hairs that trap air. Each leg has thousands of microscopic grooved hairs. Can detect prey vibrations on the water surface from centimeters away.
Did You Know?
Water striders have over 1,000 microscopic hairs per mm on their legs — each hair has nano-grooves that trap air, making their feet essentially unwettable.
Arrowhead Spiketail
A large spiketail dragonfly with arrowhead-shaped yellow markings along its dark abdomen. It is found along seepage-fed streams in eastern North American forests.
Did You Know?
Females can insert eggs directly into hard-packed stream gravel using their spike-like ovipositor.