One day, while they were both lying on the bank gazing into the pond, a huge black beetle came up to the surface of the water. It remained there for a few moments, with its head hanging downwards and its tail sticking right out of the water. Then it dived down out of sight. In a few minutes it came up again, and this time Frank’s net was under it before it could escape.
Just as Frank was putting it into the glass jar, Tom whispered, “Here is another one—quick, Frank!”
But Frank was too late; for before he could get the first beetle into the jar, the second one had dived to the bottom of the pond. The boys waited for a long time, hoping to see the other beetle again. At last their patience was rewarded. The beetle came up again to the surface. As soon as it did so, in went the net, and out came beetle number two.
“What big beauties,” said Frank. “I wonder what they are. Let us hurry home and show them to Uncle George.”
When they got home, their uncle placed the two beetles in a glass tank by themselves, so that they could be more easily observed.
“What do you call them, uncle?” asked Frank. “We have never seen such large, handsome beetles before.”
Dyticus Beetle, male and female.
“Have you not?” his uncle replied. “I am surprised at that, for this beetle is found in nearly all our ponds and ditches. It has a long Latin name,[2] which means Bordered Diver, but it is commonly known as the ‘great water beetle.’ There are several kinds of these diving beetles. This is the largest. Can you give me an idea of their size?”
And Uncle George handed Frank a small measuring rule which he carried in his pocket.