We see them all the time in the summer but have never watched any fish eat them. No fish seem to bother them. Why is that? do they taste bad to the fish? They look like they would be really good for small bass and gills to eat.
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We see them all the time in the summer but have never watched any fish eat them. No fish seem to bother them. Why is that? do they taste bad to the fish? They look like they would be really good for small bass and gills to eat.
Pearchplucker,
Whirligig beetles do get eaten by fish and other critters on occasion. They can secrete a foul-tasting liquid if threatened and their grouping behavior helps to confuse predators. So often times fish do leave them alone because of the bad taste.
Check out this website http://www.pnas.org/content/97/21/11313.full.pdf. This is a experiment on Chemical Defense : Whirligig Beetle vs. Laremouth Bass
thanks.
One unique feature of these insects is if you can get a few of them in your hand and shake them up. They release a chemical that smells like Juicy fruit gum.