Life Cycle of Water Pennys

According to the EPA, there are 16 species of water penny beetles in North America. The life cycle of a water penny beetles consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. All species of the water penny beetle take one to two years to complete their life cycle.

  1. Egg

    • Female water penny beetles lay patches of eggs underwater that typically consist of 400-600 eggs at a time. The eggs are bright yellow in color.

    Larva

    • Larvae hatch out of the eggs and cling to rocks and stones. These larvae can only survive in bodies of good quality water. This stage of the cycle can last up to 22 months.

    Pupa

    • When the time comes to pupate, larvae secure themselves to protective rocks with both their legs and the dense fine hair on the underside of their bodies. According to Zoology department at the Univeristy of Tasmania, the pupa does not usually last longer than four weeks.

    Adult

    • An adult water penny beetle emerges from the pupa and lives outside, but near, the body of water. Adults are not thought to live very long (about four weeks).

    Interesting Fact

    • The water penny beetle larvae can breathe when in the water and in the air.