Gelastocoridae: Toad Bugs

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              These little bugs come in various colors, but all have the same odd, striped eyes. They’re called “toad bugs” because they hop like toads. Family Galstocoridae
               has only two species in North America, this species, which is found across the US from Canada to Mexico, and another species, G. rotundatus, found only in the Southwest.

               They inhabit sandy gravel beds along the banks of creeks, in this case Stevens Creek, which drains from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the San Francisco Bay.
               About a quarter inch in length, they can swim on top of and under water. They forage for tiny invertebrates at the stream edge.

               This bug is well named: “gelasto" = funny, “coris" = face, “oculatus" = big eyes, all Greek. So they’re big-eyed, funny-face bugs.

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