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six legs, scorpion end, black & red/orange, walks like a walkingstick
Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Hello!
This is my first submission of a picture to you, I think. Though I have used your site for years. Thanks! We live in West Lafayette, Indiana and we found this bug on June 26th, 2009. We took several pictures – do with them what you like. I found this bug crawling up the side of an interior door frame in our house. At first glance, I was sure it was a spider. Then I could only find six legs and two long antennae. I also thought of a scorpion as its rump went up in the air. The way it walked reminded me of a walkingstick or praying mantis. It was black and bright red/orange. We tried to take pictures of it inside, then finally took it outside and got a few shots.
Please, do you know what kind of bug this is?
Thanks! -Anne
Anne
West Lafayette, Indiana

Wheel Bug Nymph

Hi Anne,
This is an immature Wheel Bug and it is one of the Assassin Bugs.  Most Assassin Bugs are beneficial predators, but they are also capable of biting painfully if mishandled.

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