Aug 31, 2025
In my efforts to better appreciate all species, including the ones that scare me, I present Lethocerus! These can be found in slower moving bodies of water and have a very high pollution tolerance, ranging around 9/10 on the NCBI scale. They are carnivorous and catch prey with their "raptorial" arms (similar to mantises) and use their modified mouth pieces to dissolve and suck up their food. Their bites are extremely painful and have been known to bite humans out of defense if threatened, earning their nickname as "toe biters". They are also flying insects, and are very attracted to artificial lights!
