Predacious Water Beetles in the Desert

Eretes sticticus, Western Eretes, is often found deep in the desert where only temporary pools offer breeding options. It is a night flyer and is drawn to reflections and lights, so it may land on the roof of your car if you wash it more often than I do. It has the most rapid development rate of any dytiscid, observed to develop from egg to adult in 15 days in a temporary pool in AZ (Kingsley 1985). photographed at my blacklight in Picture Rocks, Pima Co, AZ.