The Water Scorpion has a very flat, lozenge shaped body and a thin, two pronged tail. Its front legs appear bent like the claws of a scorpion. This predatory bug spends much of its life skulking round shallow ponds or muddy waters. Although slow moving, it is an effective predator, catching unwary insects, tadpoles or even small fish with its strong front legs. It is able to fly, but rarely does, and plays dead if handled. Bizarrely, it breathes by sticking its slim ‘tail’ out of the water and sucking in air before submerging itself again.
Latin name: Nepa Cinerea
Size: Up to 20mm long
In the garden
Water Scorpions tend to prefer shallow, muddy water so if you want to see them in your garden, make sure that your pond has some shallower, boggy areas.