Backswimmers - a colouration query pls

Dillybythesea · #1 (**permalink**) 18-05-2010, 06:18 PM

With our new pond never having had a complete season before, I'm wondering if the very different colouring in some of the backswimmers (whiter) is simply to do with maturing? The hordes are mostly brownish like the top one, but with the occasional white one like this...

Thanks!

thunder · #2 (**permalink**) 18-05-2010, 08:47 PM

Possibly the white one is just about to, or has just, shed its skin.

henrya

Malcolm Banks · #3 (**permalink**) 18-05-2010, 10:23 PM

It is true that Notonecta glauca exhibit intra-regional and even intra-pond colour variation (I have seen the evidence on WAB threads) from green through to brown (and possibly other colours) but I agree with henrya that the lighter coloured one in your pic has recently moulted; it is bigger than the darker coloured one.
M

Dillybythesea · #4 (**permalink**) 19-05-2010, 03:29 PM

Thanks you henrya and Malcolm! I'll admit I'd forgotten all about such creatures moulting. And it's interesting to see the affect on colouring. Education is definitely wasted on the young! ATB, Dill