Commonly known as a Water singer, this noisy little bug is common and abundant in clean and exposed lakes and river shallows throughout Britain. Sandy bottoms and a slow flow are usually associated factors and the bugs are found more often in rivers at low altitudes and lakes at higher ones.

Overwintered third instar larvae reach maturity during mid-June in the south, somewhat later in northern upland areas; the colour pattern of the larvae renders them almost invisible on a sandy bottom. Another generation follows (at least in the south), maturing in August and laying unadorned eggs upon stones.

The bugs are gregarious and males stridulate very loudly for such small animals: there is a common song and a courtship song. Anchoring to the substrate, by their mid-legs, they feed by scraping over the bottom with the front palae and sucking in whole particles of algal detritus, animal remains, etc.; filamentous algae are passed over the tip of the rostrum and the non- cellulose material extracted. Pharyngeal teeth enable solid matter to be broken up before reaching the gut. The bug is intolerant of organic matter in solution and is usually replaced by Sigara dorsalis when this increases (SWL, 1959).

Distribution:

These are found in only 5 sites and 5 10km grid squares making it Scarce in Northants.

Habitat:

Found clean and exposed lakes and lowland river shallows with sandy bottoms and a slow flow. It is intolerant of organic matter in solution.

Identification:

This is a small matt silky looking bug with dark zig zag band down the corium. The vertex also has a dark brown longitudinal line.