How do water striders walk on water?

The answer

Water striders exploit surface tension, a property arising from the cohesive hydrogen bonds between water molecules at the surface. These molecules are pulled inward by their neighbors, creating a thin elastic-like film. The water strider's legs are covered in thousands of microscopic hydrophobic (water-repelling) hairs that trap air and prevent the legs from breaking through. Each leg can support about 15 times the insect's body weight before the surface tension is overcome, giving it a huge margin of safety.