Pygmy Backswimmer

colour photo of a small pale underwater insect

Pygmy Backswimmer

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hemiptera

Family: Pleidae

While not in the same family as true Backswimmers, the Pygmy Backswimmer does still swim belly-up! This is because Pygmy Backswimmers access oxygen in the water by carrying around their own personal scuba tank! These insects will grab a ball of air from the surface and store it on the belly-side of their abdomen using small water-repellant hairs that trap the air.