Behold the giant water bug, one of the scariest insects on the planet.
This unique creature attacks its victims by stabbing and injecting a digestive liquid, and then sucks out the liquefied remains.
The giant water bug live in lakes and ponds, and are great swimmers. They can also fly to find other habitats.
They hunt fish, insects, frogs and even snakes.
Watch one in action in the video below captured in the Rincon Mountains of Saguaro National Park in Arizona.
This alien-like bug has a unique method of killing. They catch their prey with their powerful front legs. They then use their sharp beak for puncturing their prey, which they then proceed to fill the prey with a powerful saliva that dissolves the kill from the inside. The giant water bug then sucks up the dissolved remains.
This bug is sometimes known as a toe-biter for its painful bites it can give to unsuspecting humans who take a step too close to the bug.
In addition to being known as toe-biters, the giant water bug is also colloquially referred to as Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs, alligator ticks, or – in Florida – fleas.
The largest insects in the order Hemiptera, and occur worldwide, with most of the species in North America, South America, Northern Australia, and East Asia. So, if you decide to wade out in a pond barefoot… watch your step!
In the video below, see what happens when a brave man gets bitten in the toe by one of these ‘toe-biters’!
