Borrego Springs Insects: The Tiny Desert Invaders

A very close-up, shallow-depth-of-field shot shows dozens of small, tan water boatman bugs scattered across a flat, grey-textured surface.

This isn’t dirt on our truck; it’s the pesky boatman bugs that swarm our area from time to time. We’re new to the experience and have learned that they’re drawn to our truck because of its dark color, which they mistake for a body of water.

Boatman bugs clustered on the bed cover of a pickup truck, their small oval bodies scattered across the dark surface in natural light.

What Are Boatmen Bugs?

When conditions are right, these aquatic insects (often called backswimmers or water boatmen) tend to appear suddenly and in impressive swarms, then disappear just as quickly. We’ve had them invade our pool as well.

Living in the desert means sharing a space with them and they’re definitely a nuisance. But fortunately, they’re quite harmless.


Photographs on this page are a labor of love by Under the Borrego Sky. To respect the work behind the lens, please do not use these images without a quick hello and permission first.


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