Known for its stunning, sun-drenched coastlines, Cyprus is the Mediterranean’s biodiversity paradise. But the island’s picturesque beaches rather than its rich insect life often attract attention. But the keen eyes and curiosity of some beachgoers have uncovered important information about a species never before seen on the island: the giant water bug, also known as the finger biter.

Scientists Michael Hajikonstantis from the Cyprus Association for the Conservation of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity, Iakovos Tsiortzis from the Cyprus Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and Kadir Bogach Kunt from the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute collected information and samples from a growing number of records in late spring 2020 and 2021. and the incidence of the giant water bug on the east coast of the island in summer.

Known for living in ponds and slow-moving freshwater, the species has never been recorded on the island before, although established populations are known in neighboring Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Turkey and Israel.

Giant Waterbug: A formidable predator

This giant water bug, also called the electric light, is described as a ferocious predator that preys on invertebrates, fish, turtles and even birds. Even more frightening is that it is the largest beetle in Europe and the largest water bug in Europe with a length of up to 12 cm. It is famous for very painful bites if handled carelessly.

Its appearance, mostly on the east coast of the island, was first recorded by swimmers who were surprised by the frightening appearance and size of the insect. They either contacted experts directly or posted photos and videos online, mostly in biodiversity-related Facebook groups. The authors collected some samples for further study.

They also proceeded to conduct an extensive online search on relevant online observation platforms (such as iNaturalist) to find other reports of this species on the island. They also sampled nearby wetlands but were unable to detect the insect. In the end, seven observations were recorded: five from social networks and two after direct communication with the author team.

Two specimens were collected and examined morphologically for species confirmation. The observations were recorded in a research article in an open access journal travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa”.

Given that Palcecus is an iconic species and is accompanied by horror stories about its encounters with humans, the authors suggest that it is unlikely that it would go unnoticed for very long. They think that many migration events may have been triggered in a short time by neighboring countries that host the species, such as Israel, Lebanon and Syria. The specimens may have been carried by wind or ocean currents, as other researchers have suggested, or they may have resulted from reduced food sources in their original range.

Despite the number of records obtained in a short time, it is not currently possible to draw a conclusion as to how the species’ population was established on the island. This is subject to further research, and as the first record of the species, citizen science can play an important role in this regard. The authors urge the public to be vigilant: “Naturalists searching for alien-like animals can provide valuable information about the presence and possible identification of species through citizen science.” Until then, they warn: “Cypriots should keep their eyes open and their toes out of the water.”