ABSTRACT
Water striders may be found on the surface of practically any temperate or tropical pond, river, or ocean in the world. This chapter focuses on Gerris remigis because of its relative ubiquity, its hardiness and amenability to laboratory culture, and because it has been studied more than any other North American species. The territoriality activities are most successful during the summer and fall. The sex discrimination activities are most easily done in the spring, but may be undertaken at any time when G. remigis is mating in laboratory culture. One fail-safe project that can be done with G. remigis any time of the year and with striders in almost any internal state is a study of drinking behavior. Water striders drink by assuming a characteristic head-slightly-down posture while stationary, and extending the beak straight down to the water.
