Range query techniques are disclosed for use in accordance with data stream processing systems. In one aspect of the invention, a technique is provided for indexing continual range queries for use in data stream processing. For example, a technique for use in processing a data stream comprises obtaining at least one range query to be associated with the data stream, and building a range query index based on the at least one range query using one or more virtual constructs such that the query index is adaptive to one or more changes in a distribution of range query sizes. The step/operation of building the range query index may further comprise building the range query index such that the range query index accommodates one or more changes in query positions outside a monitoring area of the at least one range query. In another aspect of the invention, a technique is provided for incrementally processing continual range queries against moving objects. For example, a technique for evaluating one and more continual range queries over one and more moving objects comprises maintaining a query index with one and more containment-encoded virtual constructs associated with the one and more continual range queries over the one and more moving objects, and incrementally evaluating the one or more continual range queries using the query index.