Water Bugs 



211 



The eggs of the giant water-bugs are attached to 

 vertical stems of reeds just above the surface of the 

 water. They are among the largest of insect eggs. 

 Those of Benacus (fig. 118) are curiously striped. The 

 eggs of a smaller, related water-bug, Z 'a itha or Belo stoma, 

 are attached by the female to the broad back of the 



Fig. 118. Eggs of Benacus, enlarged; the lower- 

 most are in process of hatching. 



male, and are carried by him during their incubation. 

 The nymphs of this family, on escaping from the egg 

 suddenly unroll and expand their flat bodies, and attain 

 at once proportions that would seem impossible on 

 looking at the egg (fig. 119). 



Most finely adapted to life in the water are the water 

 boatmen (fig. 109 on p. 201) and the back-swimmers, 



