This book recounts the habits of many interesting and unusual exceptions to the rule that insects are typically terrestrial forms of life. It examines the different ways that groups of species have developed modes of existence in or on the surface of water, and gives reasons why the gross morphology of insects is not favorable for life in or near bodies of water, such as wings that fail to function after coming into contact with water, rendering them useless.

This book presents a broad view of the ecology and behavior of aquatic insects, raising awareness of this conspicuous and yet little known fauna that inhabits inland waterbodies such as rivers, lakes and streams, and is particularly abundant and diverse in tropical ecosystems. The chapters address topics such as distribution, dispersal, territoriality, mating behavior, parental care and the role of sensory systems in the response to external and internal cues. In the context of ecology, it discusses aquatic insects as bio indicators that may be used to assess environmental disturbances, either in protected or urban areas, and provides insights into how genetic connectivity can support the development of novel conservation strategies. It also explores how aquatic insects can inspire solutions for various problems faced by modern society, presenting examples in the fields of material science, optics, sensorics and robotics.

Written in language that is accessible to the sports fisherman and the naturalist and with over 1,000 original illustrations, the book includes features such as coverage of all insect families and genera important to fly fishing; comphrensive treatment of the biology of all life stages of aquatic insects including terrestrial as well as aquatic stages; special chapters on shore dwelling insects, insects associated with aquatic vascular plants, residents of tree holes and plant cups, aquatic arachnids and freshwater crustaceans.

Aquatic insects are being used increasingly to test a number of hypotheses in contemporary ecological theory. Additionally, research has revealed the importance of aquatic insects in the spread of diseases, the biological assessment of water quality and the reconstruction of past environments on earth. This book presents new findings in the study of aquatic entomology, together with the background information necessary to understand them and references to more detailed studies. Only a limited prior knowledge of general ecology or entomology is assumed on the part of the reader. The book will therefore appeal to advanced undergraduate students taking courses in aquatic biology or entomology, as well as research workers in ecology and pure and applied entomology.

The book is a comprehensive text on all aspects of the biology of aquatic insects around the world. This fauna comprises many thousands of species that previously lacked a dedicated reference text.