Swimming behavior of small diving beetles

This paper is concerned with the swimming characteristics and the structure dynamics of diving beetle legs. Diving beetles are highly adapted for aquatic life. When swimming, all of these insects use their flattened, paddle-shaped hind legs like oars. Their hind legs have a thick fringe of swimming hairs. Since diving beetles are excellent swimmers, the swimming behavior is studied with a high speed video camera system. The structural properties of legs are also studied by an optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. Some functional principles underlying leg design are revealed.