whirligig beetle

noun

1. any of numerous aquatic beetles of the family Gyrinidae, commonly seen in groups circling about rapidly on the surface of the water.

whirligig beetle

noun

1. any flat-bodied water beetle of the family Gyrinidae, which circles rapidly on the surface of the water

Word History and Origins

Origin of whirligig beetle¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

"We've got damselflies and dragonflies, little water boatmen, whirligig beetles, water scorpions and because of all of them, we get all the birds that feed off them," he says.

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But, “To really demonstrate if whirligig beetles are using lift, it’s necessary to deeply investigate the fluid dynamics,” not just track the movement of their legs, he cautions.

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For the whirligig beetle to achieve such fast swimming speeds, its legs would need to push against the water at unrealistic speeds.

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“There are helpful bugs that kill the mosquitoes. Damselflies, dragonflies, whirligig beetles, predaceous diving beetles and a lot of other organisms out there that help with integrated pest management.”

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On Wednesday evening, he glanced at the fish bowl and noticed that the water beetle, the whirligig beetle, was missing.

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