These tiny hempiterans are common in the wetland at Palo Verde.  There hind tarsi have expanded, feather-life, paddles that they use to provide enough surface area to jump from predators, such as myself, while on the water’s surface. I don’t know what family they are, but I’ll collect some and see if I can force the Entomology class to key them… adults are hard to find though.

In other hemipteran news, after returning from about five hours in the wetland, I wiped away something on the back of my neck, and it was a kissing bug!  It was filled with blood and unable to fly – it attempted to spread it’s wings and flutter away from the ground, but the thick, blood-filled abdomen appeared to be too heavy for lift off.  I squashed it angrily; I hope there was no chagas.