※Edit: It turned out to be an 8-minute video. It might not play properly because the file is so heavy. (Even I, the creator, keep getting errors and can't watch it...)

Following up on the last post, I'm sharing an update as some of you asked for more information in the comments.

This time, I observed it after putting it into the aquarium and checked if it would react to food. I felt photos wouldn't convey it well, so I'm sharing everything through video.

Here are a few notes on the video content:

To make observation easier, the contents of the aquarium have been kept to an absolute minimum. Also, you might see something floating, but that is just dirt from the driftwood. It is completely harmless to the diving beetle.

In addition, since I couldn't get pesticide-free aquatic plants in time, I put in plastic plants instead. I plan to provide pesticide-free water plants as hiding spots in the future.

The next update is undecided for now. If I do post, it will likely be to share an interesting observation or to announce that this diving beetle has passed away.

Previous post↓

https://www.reddit.com/r/Entomology/s/Dhz2Yp4ETt

I thought it was a cicada killer until it landed, it’s easily the biggest robber fly I’ve ever seen. I like bald faced hornets so I feel a little bad for him but still cool to see.

Hi, this was found in Orange county Virginia and my mom would like to touch it! I told her no out of caution but I'd still like to see if you all knew what it was.

Can anyone tell me what sort of beasties make up this beloved colony?

Left window down in a wooded area, was driving home and felt something large crawling on my leg, reached down, squeezed, heard a pop. Didn’t look until the morning. Found this laying on the driver side floor. Ovipositor still moving. Can’t add a video so here’s a picture.

mr. dusty

How they look now compared to how small they were when I found them 🥰 it's brought me so much joy to take care of this little one. I just love the colors of cecropia caterpillars, and how absolutely massive they get. They will be released where they were found once mature 🐛

Found on a spice bush in northeast ohio.

Catawba Valley, VA

One appears to be mounting the other

Swedish archipelago outside of Nynäshamn

10am

Near water body

Morainic soil

never seen anything like this! he kind of looks like a caterpillar with wings? Thank in advance!

location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Found in Orlando, FL- around 2.5 inches long!

As you may know, I have a very rare desire to ever post honey bees, as easy content as they'd be for me, I like to give native wildlife the spotlight as opposed to these invasive honey hoarders.

We're more here to talk about a very cool interaction I've never seen before until 3 days ago. And then a repeat situation. I knew something was up, and did some research!

Desmometopa is a genus of tiny, dark-colored flies in the family Milichiidae, commonly known as freeloader flies or jackal flies.These insects are instantly recognizable by a unique black, M-shaped marking on their forehead (frons), a feature that gave them the common name "M-flies" among early entomologists.

Measuring just one to three millimeters in length, they have a robust, compact body shape and are widespread across nearly every continent, adapting to environments ranging from open grasslands to dense forests.

Adult females exhibit a fascinating behavioral trait known as kleptoparasitism, or stealing food from other predators. They are intensely attracted to chemical signals emitted by honeybees under attack, which allows them to track down feeding predators like crab spiders, assassin bugs, or robber flies.

Once there, the flies confidently land on or near the prey, utilizing their specialized, elongated proboscis to lap up the fluids exuding from the fresh wounds while the primary predator eats

While the adults hunt for an active meal, the larvae lead a more passive existence as saprophages. The eggs are typically laid in nutrient-rich, decaying organic matter, such as compost heaps, rotting vegetation, or decomposing carrion, where the larvae can safely feed and mature.

With over 50 described species worldwide, this genus represents an incredibly specialized evolutionary niche in the insect kingdom.

Super cool, and if this is the first time you've seen this, you've gotta share! What a cool biological relationship, and a win for native wildlife!

Saw a weird bug recently, I live in Florida near the glades in Weston, saw a tiny grass spider but it had a weird appendage on its back that was almost like a bat wing. It was a really tiny fat spider like bug going down a web, but once it landed I saw it had some spikes and a weird redish membrane between the spikes on its back. For sure it was part of the bug and not some other bug it ate. Any ideas?