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30 July 2015 Last updated at 19:06 BST
The robotic version uses the same forces to jump as the water strider, pushing off without breaking the surface.
It takes off with a downward force that never exceeds the surface tension of water - the force that "glues" surface water molecules together.
The South Korea and US team's advance is reported in the journal Science.
All footage courtesy of Seoul National University
Scientists have developed a tiny robot, based on the water strider insect, that can jump on water.