The purpose of this book is to provide a well-illustrated guide to enable the general public as well as students to identify water bugs of Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, generally considered hotspots of biodiversity on Earth, are undergoing rapid changes. Many of the freshwater as well as coastal habitats are disappearing rapidly due to dam building, road construction, or urban development.

We recognise that most of these developments are unavoidable and some of our aquatic insects may become extinct or endangered with the loss of their habitats. It is hoped that this book will help us identify what species we have and to encourage us to conserve areas that may contain rare or unusual species before it is too late