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traitor-lord

DEATH IS PERMANENT

in attempting the feat, one proves their courage. may your shade at last find rest

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traitor-lord · 13 hours

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Check out this little dude. This is a whirligig beetle!

They get their name (i think) from the way they love to rapidly swim around in circles. They're a common sight on the shores of any freshwater pond or lake in the Summer.

Their sleek, streamlined design serves a similar purpose as in diving beetles - to make them hydrodynamic (faster in the water). And they are quite fast swimmers! You'd be hard pressed to catch one without a net.

Here's a couple of them swimming! Look at that stroke! Little Olympic contenders! They even have a little "paddle" on their rear that helps them push through the water!

Their speed is mostly for evading predators. Their food sources aren't very fast - consisting mostly of water mites, snails, and small insect larvae. These guys, like dragonfly nymphs, help cut down on mosquito larvae, making them very beneficial!

But above all, I think the coolest thing about whirligig beetles is this:

Look closely - these beetles have FOUR EYES. Now, having more than 2 eyes is actually pretty common in the insect world. Many have 3 or more eyes. However, these "extra" eyes are usually small ocelli, or "simple eyes" that can't do much besides sensing the relative light level throughout the day.

Whirligig beetles have 4, real-deal, massive compound eyes that give them excellent vision. But why 4? It has to do with the fact that whirligigs swim on the exact surface of the water! Two of their eyes look above for predators, while the two on the bottom search for prey (and for other predators)!

(image source: National Geographic)

This amazing adaptation is similar to the four-eyed fish. It only has 2 eyes, but each one has two pupils, giving it the same ability as the whirligig beetle!

Next time you're near a freshwater shore, look for these cool little swimmers. The beetles themselves might be a little tough to spot, but the swirling of water and subsequent ripples they make will make it obvious when they're around.

Hope you enjoyed these tid-bits about these bugs! It goes to show that even common insects can have mesmerizingly cool traits of their own!

#oh i see these fuckers all thw time #zoomies beetles #i love em

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traitor-lord · 2 days

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