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Whirligig beetle

 
Whirligig Beetle

 
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Whirligig beetle
 
 
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The whirligig beetles are a family (Gyrinidae) of water beetle
Water beetle

A water beetle is a beetle adapted to living in water. several different types are known, most in or on fresh water. The rest Marine species tend to live in the intertidal zone....
s that normally live on the surface of the water. They get their common name from their habit of swimming rapidly in circles when alarmed, and are also notable for their divided eyes which can see both above and below water.

They are also known for their grouping behavior, a survival mechanism which helps them to avoid predation.






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The whirligig beetles are a family (Gyrinidae) of water beetle
Water beetle

A water beetle is a beetle adapted to living in water. several different types are known, most in or on fresh water. The rest Marine species tend to live in the intertidal zone....
s that normally live on the surface of the water. They get their common name from their habit of swimming rapidly in circles when alarmed, and are also notable for their divided eyes which can see both above and below water.

They are also known for their grouping behavior, a survival mechanism which helps them to avoid predation. Their places in the group are thought to be determined by a number of factors, including hunger, sex, species, water temperature, age, parasite level and stress level. Research being done on their behavior serves as a model to study the significance of chemical defense in relation to their position in the group, which relates to such fields as nanotechnology
Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology, shortened to "Nanotech", is the study of the control of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally nanotechnology deals with structures of the size 100 nanometers or smaller, and involves developing materials or devices within that size....
.

They have a bubble of air trapped underneath their abdomens which allows them to dive and swim under the water for a long time. They bite and their bites cause a localised allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. The family includes about 700 species worldwide.