A couple of weeks ago I noticed that the strange looking larva of the lesser diving beetle Acilius sp. (probably sulcatus) swimming around in a pond. I quick went and got a net and caught one, before taking it inside to photography in my aquarium set up.
It is a fairly distinctive larvae with its elongate ‘neck.’
A small backswimmer nymph snuck into the tank with the larvae and was ignored by the lesser diving beetle larvae, so I took some shots of it.
Then with the swiftness of a prey mantis the lesser diving beetle larvae decided it was hungry after all!
There was a very brief struggle before the paralysing and digesting fluid injected by those fangs got to work. It then, unlike the larva of its larger relative the great diving beetles (Dytiscus sp.) seemed to be munching through its prey.
It then dropped what was left and sat at the surface breathing air through the tip of its abdomen.
That’s an amazing set of photos and very informative too
Brilliant! These are wonderful shots.