Water Boatman? in dogs bowl

[Long Stride]

One of our cats found this swimming around in the dogs water bowl this morning. She was trying to fish it out with her paw.

I think it is a "Water Boatman" as it used its legs like oars.





The bowl of water sits in the kitchen so how did the Water Boatman get there?

Do they fly?

There is a burn approx. 400m away but I thought that they preferred ponds to faster flowing water.

Could it have been carried by the dogs in their mouths - Larvae?
The bowl is refilled twice a day.

Any help appreciated.

 

[Toddy]

Neat

They can fly too, I think the *paddles* are modified legs.

Link:
http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/biodiversity/invert/boatman,g.html

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[demographic]

We used to get them in the trough by our fell gate, some of them were knocking on for 3/4" long which surprised me as a nipper.

 

[BorderReiver]

I've heard that they can deliver a painful bite.

 

[Bigman]

Water Boatmen are harmless, it's the Back Swimmers that have a painful bite.

 

[Long Stride]

Thanks everyone for the info.

I put it out in the garden in a bowl of water.

It has now gone - flown away or eaten by something.