About Hydrometra stagnorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hydrometra stagnorum (Linnaeus, 1758) is normally wingless, though full-winged individuals do sometimes occur. Its body is typically dark greyish, or even black in colour, and reaches an adult length of approximately 13 millimetres. Both its head and entire body have a long, slender shape. Its antennae have an appearance similar to an extra fourth pair of legs. This species is distributed across many European countries, including Hungary and Austria. Within Great Britain, it is quite common specifically in Leicestershire and Rutland. It inhabits the vegetated margins of slow-moving streams, as well as ditches and ponds. It stays close to the emergent stems of aquatic plants, and it lays its eggs directly on these stems.
