Water strider - Water strider (English spelling)

Japanese: アメンボ(水黽) - アメンボ（英語表記）water strider

An insect of the Hemiptera family, Water strider family (illustration). It is said that it was given the name Amebō (candy boy) because it gives off a burnt candy-like smell when caught. No other insect can glide across the water's surface by moving its long legs like boat paddles. Its entire body is covered in fine hairs that do not get wet, and it presses the tips of its long, thin, whip-like middle and hind legs widely across the water's surface, supporting its body above the water with buoyancy due to the water's surface tension. If the surface tension of the water were to decrease, the water strider would not be able to float.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

半翅目アメンボ科の昆虫（イラスト）。つかまえると焦げたあめのようなにおいを出すので飴坊（あめんぼ）という名がつけられたともいわれる。長い脚をボートの櫂（かい）のように動かして水面を滑走する昆虫はほかに見られない。水にぬれない細毛が全身を覆い，むちのように細長い中･後脚の先端部で水面を広く押さえて，水の表面張力による浮力で体を水面上に支えている。水の表面張力が小さくなればアメンボは水に浮いていられない。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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