whirligig beetle

American  

noun

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

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whirligig beetle British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of whirligig beetle

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.

From BBC

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.

From Science Magazine

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

From Science Daily

“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.”

From Washington Times

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

From Project Gutenberg