Overview
- Entomologist Horacio Walantus identified the insects as belostomatids, or water bugs, after residents reported large clusters on streetlights and in swimming pools across CABA during the holiday period.
- These aquatic insects can fly and are strongly attracted to artificial light, which explains their concentration around lamps and illuminated patios.
- Specialists emphasize they do not feed on blood or transmit disease, though they can deliver a painful defensive bite that feels like a burn.
- Recommended steps include removing them from pools with a net, avoiding direct handling, turning off exterior lights, and using screens, according to experts and the city environment office.
- Urban expansion into natural habitats is increasing encounters, yet the insects help control mosquito populations by eating larvae, and authorities expect the surge to subside within days.