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Is it common to see water boatmen eating dead frogs like a pack of Hyena's feeding around a dead gazelle?
Water boatmen are herbivores, but backswimmers (genus Notonecta) are predators and scavengers so I'd guess that's what you saw. They are superficially very similar to water boatmen, the main difference is they swim on their backs!
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Water boatmen vs backswimmers; a frequent topic of confusion!!!
Aiki mentions the difference in diet of the two groups and their mode of travel in the water but I should add that the common backswimmer (Notonecta glauca) is often referred to as the greater water boatman, as if it wasn't complicated enough already!
Be wary of the backswimmers, they can deliver a painful stab with their mouth parts if handled roughly!
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
Thank you gents a great link too.