| Mesovelia mulsanti | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Heteroptera |
| Family: | Mesoveliidae |
| Genus: | Mesovelia |
| Species: | M. mulsanti |
| Binomial name | |
| Mesovelia mulsanti White, 1879 | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
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Mesovelia mulsanti, or Mulsant's water treader, is a species of water treader in the family Mesoveliidae 3-4 mm in size [2] .
The main range is from southern Canada to Texas, but it is also found in Central America [3] , South America [3] , the Caribbean [3] and Hawaii [4] .
Mesovelia mulsanti inhabits a variety of freshwater environments, especially standing water with abundant floating vegetation such as duckweed and algae. It occurs in both shaded and unshaded areas. [4]
A study conducted from 1983 to 1986 in Union County, Illinois, [4] documented that M. mulsanti is typically trivoltine, producing three full generations per year, with a potential partial fourth generation in late autumn. The species overwinters exclusively as eggs; nymphs and adults do not survive freezing conditions.
In subtropical and tropical regions such as Florida and the Caribbean, M. mulsanti may reproduce year-round, often without entering diapause, due to the absence of cold periods.
Mesovelia mulsanti is a surface-dwelling predator, feeding on small invertebrates, primarily insects, found on or near the water surface. It may also prey on crustaceans that rise to the surface film. [4]
| Authority control databases: National |
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