Photo Feature
Whirligig Beetles
This arresting mass of tiny, metallic-black bodies floating in a stream is a collective of whirligig beetles. These insects, perfectly adapted to aquatic life, have legs modified for swimming, and possess a pair of bisected compound eyes that enable the creatures to see above and under water simultaneously. What is more, they carry with them a nature-crafted scuba tank – an air bubble on their abdomens that allows them to stay submerged for relatively extended periods of time!
Photo: Manav Joshi