If walking on water takes grace, jumping on it requires exquisite care.
Water striders spend most of their lives on a water surface, typically that of a pond. Microscopic hairs, coated with a waxy substance, make the striders’ long legs extremely water-repellent, enabling the bugs to rest on water as if the surface were a rubber membrane.
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.