Notonecta maculata is a backswimmer of the family Notonectidae, found in Europe, including the United Kingdom.

Notonecta maculata are voracious predators, eating many invertebrate species found in their habitats.

[5] The amount of light present affects the predation rate of juvenile Notonecta maculata, although this is not based on the time of day.

[9] The Notonecta genus select habitats which enable them to exploit specific foraging strategies.

[10] These habitats factor in the presence and density of vegetation, water opacity, nature of the substrate, and prey abundance and diversity.