Day 190/18. A Pond Skater skating on our pond....

We have a number of these small critters on our small pond. Probably about 15mm long.
They use their legs to move across the pond’s surface. Using a rowing action the middle pair of legs propel them forwards, often at great speed. The back legs act as rudders while the short front legs seize dead or dying insects that have dropped onto the water. They have sensitive hairs on their bodies and legs to detect vibrations and ripples on the pond surface.
These insects are agile and can jump to evade predators. They are common and widespread throughout the UK.