Whirligig beetles in Ohio, USA. (23 July 2016)

Unidentified species of whirligig beetle (probably Dineutus sp.).

Whirligig beetles are true beetles that spend most of their time swimming at the top surface of watercourses. They are gregarious and orient themselves facing upstream. If some individuals are separated from the rest of the group, they will seek them out by swimming quickly in circles. Whirligig beetles have four eyes - two are for seeing above water and the other two are for seeing below water (four-eyed fish do the same thing). When crushed, a whirligig beetle will smell like a banana (I didn't do that, however). Close examination of two of the individuals shown above revealed some yellowish iridescence of their otherwise dark-colored elytra.

Classification: Animalia, Arthropoda, Hexapoda, Insecta, Coleoptera, Gyrinidae, Gyrininae

Locality: Jonathan Run, a little upstream from Workman Road bridge, north-northwest of the town of Fultonham, southwestern Muskingum County, eastern Ohio, USA

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