THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

Aquatic Invertebrates in Pacific Northwest Freshwater Wetlands
An Identification Guide and Educational Resource

Saldidae are semi-aquatic; they live on floating debris and along the shorelines of almost every type of freshwater habitat as well as ocean beaches and salt marshes, preying on fly larvae and other aquatic invertebrates. Thus, they may be common in wetland habitats but are less liklely to be found in aquatic samples.

The shore bugs have very long and prominent antennae, and the front leg claws are at the tip of the leg. Their body is compact, and the end of the wings are veined in a pattern of 4 or 5 similar sized cells. The eyes are very large in proportion to the head and bulge out to the sides.

The image above was used with permission from Jürgen Deckert, whose photo appears on the Tree of Life webpage: http://www.tolweb.org/Saldidae.