Water beetle larvae ID needed

[pondscape]

As part of my job I have just started learning how to carry out PYSM surveys and I have a few I have found from my last survey I am unsure on - I have had a guess at some of them (I only need to record them to family level) but would appreciate input on what others believe them to me. Some of them are water beetle larvae which is hard as I do not have a key for them - so reasons why they are a certain family would be appreciated.


(sorry the photos aren't really clear - first time I tried taking a photo down a microscope!)

I am based in the north east of england so unlikely to be any southern species

damselfly or dragonfly I think

and these are the water beetles


number 1



number 2



number 3



number 4




The more I do the better my ID will become but I want to see if anyone confirms my thoughts at this stage

[jdoherty]

The last three pics all look to be the same creature. I think it might be a dragonfly nymph.

John

[pondscape]

thanks - i kept coming out with beetle larvae on my keys but i dont have anything to get to family level.

any idea how I got to beetle if you think dragonfly? whats the obvious difference that can be seen by my poor photo (i do still have the bugs too)

[jdoherty]

I'm not an expert by any means but my suggestion was based on a pic which I took recently of this dragonfly nymph. Your photo isn't as clear but I thought that it looked like this.

John

[Malcolm Banks]

The eyes have it. Dragonflies have large compound eyes at all stages; the short, forward pointing antennae of 3,4 and 5 are typical of DFs. So I agree with John, no 2 is a beetle larva and 3,4 and 5 are DF nymphs, not sure which species though.
M

[pondscape]

fantastic thanks - i will have a go with my keys again later - only need them to family which is good