assassin bug or…? Broad Headed Bug

bugman

March 2nd, 2004 at 1:00 am

Categories

True Bugs

Hello –
I’ve just spent a fascinating hour roaming around your site. I’m hoping you can help me identify a bug I photographed on one of my crabapple trees last summer here in Manitoba. It seems similar to some of the assassin bugs, but I haven’t been able to find anything quite like it. I have attached a photo.
Thanks in advance,
Doug

Hi Doug,
Yours is one of the most beautiful photographs we have ever received. I can tell you this. You have an image of a True Bug or Hemipteran. According to Weiping at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History, it is probably a Broad Headed Bug, Family Coriscidae. Even though they aren’t true Stink Bugs, they often stink worse than members of that family. I’m sorry we are unable to give you an exact species name, but we will continue to work on it. I found one insect online that seems to resemble your photo. It is Megalotomus quinquespinosus.

Hi Daniel – Thanks for looking at it. I really appreciate the info. Thanks as well for your kind words about the photo on your website. I got a nikon cp990 about a year and a half ago and I’ve been really enjoying its closeup capabilities (If you ever need a few dozen photos of grasshoppers…). Thanks again, – Doug