Diving beetle

The Diving Beetle, also known as the Water Beetle in, is a common insect found in rivers and ponds, swimming and diving. They are worth 800 bells. It appears during the months of May through to September, and was introduced in. It is common to find when it is raining, but can be caught in all weather. The diving beetle is found underwater, with a dark shadow like fish, and above water, showing their green bodies. To catch them, you need to have them above water and you need to have your net ready to catch them. Like all bugs, just aim and try to get them with the net. When caught, the "Bugs and Fish" window says "These are said to have short but strong pincers. Ouch!".

In City Folk
Upon donation to the Museum, Blathers will say;

"While they're marginallly less odious as adults...dive beetles are horrific in their larval stage! These wretched youths are twice the size of the adults and wield a large poison barb. Foul villainy! Then again, I suppose the adults aren't much better. They're both completely objectionable, really..."

It can be found in the bottom-left hand enclosure in the insect exhibition, in the small pond.

In New Leaf
Upon being donated, the beetle can be found in the first room of the bug exhibit swimming in the pond. The exhibit has this to say about the Diving Beetle:

"Diving beetles swim using thick, hairy hind legs and clean the water by eating dead insects. They store a supply of air under their wings to breathe underwater and surface to replenish as needed. When they're caught by predators, they release a foul-smelling bluish fluid from their heads in defense."

Further Information
Adult beetles have streamlined, oval, or football-shaped flattened bodies that are usually 1/8 to one inch long. Most species are brown to black but some have distinctive patterns of spots, lines, or mottling on the wing covers. They have elongate hairlike antennae. Larvae are not frequently seen and have a long thorax and long legs. The head bears conspicuous large sickle-shaped mandibles without teeth.

Predaceous diving beetles are easily confused with water scavenger beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). The latter surface for air head first and have a ridge or keel on the underside that runs down the thorax and extends into a point.