?1796–8 IV. 87/1 Boat insect, see Notonecta.
1861 G. Wilson & A. Geikie x. 289 The Statice clustered along the banks of a sulphury pool, in which numerous boat-insects were paddling about.
1948 76 87/1 Other names are ‘water bug’, ‘boat fly’, ‘boat insect’ and ‘boatman’.