Black Assassin Bug: Black Corsair or Masked Hunter

bugman

August 27th, 2010 at 9:35 pm

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If you’re there, What’s This Bug?! It just bit my son…
Location: Seminole, Oklahoma
August 27, 2010 7:42 pm
He crawled into a hole my boxer had dug to get a toy that dropped into it. Apparently this beetle got into his shorts, and then bit him. It has a probe/proboscis mouth, not pincers. Just want to know if it’s anything I need to worry about. I’m searching Bugguide now. Thanks so much…
Amy Goodman

Black Assassin Bug

Hi Amy,
it is very difficult to see through the bag. Might be a Black Corsair.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/7332

or maybe a Masked Hunter.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/11385

That is what I identified it as myself, though I’m the beginner of beginners in identifying bugs. I found a photo, based on the shape of a wheel bug (minus the wheel) and knowing that the wheel bug was an assasin beetle. I googled “black assasin beetle” and came up with a photo of a female black corsair with the same exact “vestigal wing pads” and body, down to the horizontal segmented look to the concave back. Also, remembering what you said about the wheel bug using it’s mouth to pierce reminded me of this bug. So I thank you very much. I know she’s not dangerous, but all sites say the bite is “quite painful” or “nasty” and my five year old agrees! He’s much better now, and I won’t let him crush the bug… I promise!