K·von Photography | Water Striders

Water striders, aka water bugs, pond skaters, water skaters, water skimmers, or water skippers. These feather-light bugs can stand on the surface of the water because of surface tension and their non-wetting legs, which can support 15 times the insect's weight without its sinking. Using their central legs to row, and fore and hind legs as rudders, they can skate across the surface at incredibly high speeds - up to 4.9 ft/sec, which is roughly 100-150 times their body length. The meniscus on the water under their feet can yield some beautiful patterns with reflected light.