You know the ones that don’t break the surface tension. I was watching a yellow jacket fly from it’s hive to a small pond, land on top, take a drink and fly back. I just would like to know if he has wet feet from this.
That’s it.
If it doesn’t break the surface tension, I don’t know how it could become wet - the water molecules are bonding to each other to create the tension.
If it’s feet WERE wet (or became wet), I don’t think they could walk on the surface tension – you can’t balance a drop of water on top of water’s surface tension, as far as I know.
I’m just guessing, though; I have no cite (or particular reason to believe I’m right).
I’m pretty sure you’re right. The smallest possible water drop will behave like a mushy blob when these insects stick their little paws on them. I’ve seen pictures of ants carrying water drops around in the air - same deal.
I think you can, although I’m not sure of the exact circumstances necessary to make it happen and I’m not sure if surface tension alone is responsible.
If you run a broken trickle of water into a half-full bowl, it will splash and create bubbles, but it will also sometimes create little bright droplets of water that skim rapidly away radially from the point of entry; these droplets are completely separate - it may be that they are separated/aided by a thin cushion of air though.
But insects able to land on water and not fall through the surface usually don’t get wet at all, probably because of waxy substances on their bodies.