Family: Pleidae

Pygmy backswimmers have only recently been recorded from SK. They are usually most abundant in well-vegetated ponds and slow weedy streams. They are poor swimmers and are most often found crawling through the dense submerged vegetation looking for their primary food, small crustaceans.

References:

Brooks A. R. and L. A. Kelton. 1967. Aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (Hemiptera). Mem. Entomol. Soc. Canada 51: 1-92

Clifford, H.F. 1991. Aquatic Invertebrates of Alberta. University of Alberta Press. Edmonton, Alberta.

Mau, H.E.L., R.G. Foottit, K.G.A. Hamilton and G.G.E. Scudder. 2000. Checklist of the Hemiptera of Canada and Alaska. NRC Research Press, Ottawa, ON.

Parker, D. and I. Phillips. 2007. Collection records of three aquatic bugs (Heteroptera); pygmy backswimmer (Pleidae), water scorpion (Nepidae) and marsh treader (Hydrometridae) for Saskatchewan, Canada. Blue Jay. 65:143-148.

Polhemus, J.T. 2008. Chapter 15: Aquatic and semiaquatic Hemiptera. In. Merritt, R.W., K.W. Cummins, and M.B. Berg. An introduction to the aquatic insects of North America. Fourth Edition. Kendall/Hunt Publ. Co. Dubuque, Iowa.