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Whirligig beetle

Gyrinus substriatus

Shiny black beetles that spin round and round on the surface in busy little groups.

Size
About 6mm long
Look for them
April to October
Where
Pond and canal surfaces, in groups

My spotter's list

A group of them spins in circles round you. Move your pointer and see.

When to look

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Whirligig beetles

Good to know

Six things about whirligig beetles

Eyes

Four eyes

Each eye is split in two: one half looks across the surface and the other half looks down into the water.

Spinning

Dizzy on purpose

Whirling round in a group makes it hard for a fish or bird to pick out one beetle to catch.

Smell

Not very tasty

When disturbed they can release a smelly chemical that puts predators off.

Food

Surface scavengers

They feed on small insects that fall onto the water.

Diving

Taking a bubble

If they need to escape, they dive under, carrying a bubble of air to breathe.

Flying

They fly too

Whirligigs can fly, which is how they find new ponds.

The real thing

Photos of whirligig beetles

Whirligig beetle, photo 1
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Whirligig beetle, photo 2
Photo: Forestowlet, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Whirligig beetle, photo 3
Photo: Udo Schmidt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Out and about

How to spot them

Look for a group of small, shiny black dots spinning in tight circles on calm water near the edge. Come too close and they dive.

Lend a hand

How to help

Keep part of the pond surface open and sheltered from wind, and let plants grow at the edges for cover.

Keep going

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