Water Stick Insect Ranatra linearis Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hemiptera (bugs)	Water stick insects are closely related to the water scorpion. They are bugs. A bug is a type of insect with a piercing and sucking mouth tube.
	Habitat	Water stick insects like the still water of lakes and ponds. They are really difficult to spot amongst the plants.
	Moving around	The water stick insect can be found crawling around amongst vegetation in the water.
	Feeding	They eat: water fleas, water worms, water lice and small insect larvae. They catch their prey by grabbing them with their front legs. Then, they suck their victim's body fluids through their tube-like mouth-part. They are eaten by: Large insect larvae, fish, ducks and leeches.
	Reproduction Nymph of Water Stick Insect	Water Stick Insects go through incomplete metamorphosis. The eggs are laid on floating plants. Nymphs hatch out. Their breathing tube is very short compared to the adult.
	Breathing	The water stick insect has a long breathing tube sticking out of the hind end of its body. Every so often, it sticks this tube out through the surface of the water to breath air.
	Size	Up to 5 cm in length.
	Fun Fact	The water stick insect looks like a little twig. This camouflage helps it to creep up on its prey.