The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area shared on its Facebook page two photos of a male Abedus herberti with eggs on its back.
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It's typical for the eggs to lay on the male's wings and be carried until they hatch -- all while being kept moist, clean and safe from predators.
Belostomatidae is a family of freshwater hemipteran insects that can grow up to be four inches long.
The giant water bugs, also known as toe-biters, have been spotted at Santa Monica Mountain streams and are capable of biting human toes. According to park ranger Ana Beatriz, the bites are "very painful!"
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"They're aggressive predators who feed on turtles, fish and snakes. And if you visit Asia, these giant water bugs are considered a delicacy," Beatriz wrote.
As for other interesting facts about the bizarre-looking bugs: The insects are known to play dead, and most can emit a smelly fluid from their anus when startled.