Moving on rough waters

In a recent study we found that water striders locomotion is degraded or making it uncontrollable while moving on wavy and bubbly water surfaces, specially for the younger instars. Thus, surface roughness may have a strong influence on habitat partition among age-classes, predation and locomotion cost on insects that routinely move over unsteady waters.    

Reference: Ortega-Jimenez, V. M, von Rabenau, L. and Dudley, R. 2017. Escape jumping by three age-classes of water striders from smooth, wavy and bubbling water surfaces. J Exp Biol 220:2809-2815. DOI:10.1242/jeb.157172.

Figure. Water strider moving on smooth, wavy and bubbly conditions.