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Sycamore Assassin Bug Nymphs eat store bought Cricket
(04/30/2008) Assassin Bug follow up
A couple of days ago I sent a photo of an Assassin Bug, I
think its in the Nymph stage. I'm keeping a close eye
on the plant that has the Assassins on it. I went to
the pet shop to buy some small crickets to stage an assassination.
When I went to the plant, one of the nymphs had just
taken another unknown bug. I took several pictures of
the carnage. After a while I took off the back jumping
legs of a small cricket, just pinch the upper part of the
jumper and it falls off. I fed the prey to the aggressive
hunter who took it immediately. While photographing
the action, another Nymph joined in. It was quite the
tug of war. They seemed to settle down after a few minutes
and proceeded in what would be one of my worst nightmares.
I hope you can tell me what kind of Assassin this is
and what it may turn into. I have attached three new
photos, 1 is what you consider carnage of the predators
natural prey. 2 is a staged assassination of a store
bought cricket. 3 A colossal battle of two creatures
that may or may not be from another planet.Thanks
Danny
Hi Danny,
Thanks for sending your exciting letter and wonderful photographs.
We pondered the merits of the natural predation versus the
feeding intervention, and opted for the sensationalism of
the "tug of war" between two Pselliopus
Assassin Bug Nymphs and the store bought Cricket. Assassin
Bugs in this genus are known as Sycamore Assassin Bugs.
Wheel Bug
(04/17/2008) Obvious question
What’s that bug? I can’t find it in
any of my field guides. It has a snout that folds
back down under it’s head and neck. It’s
very clear in the picture but it might be confused as a leg
if you don’t know what it is. We call them
Dinosaur Stink Bugs, because they’re not quite the same
shape as “regular” stink bugs. (Stinkius
Maximus) These insects appear in the late summer/fall at my
home in Damascus, MD, just north of Washington, DC Thanks
Alan McIlvried
Hi Alan,
Your bug is an Assassin Bug, not a Stink Bug. It is a Wheel
Bug, Arilus cristatus. We will be posting your letter even
though the Wheel Bug adults aren't normally seen in the spring
because it will eventually go to our archives, and you have
words in your letter that might help others identify their
Wheel Bug in a search engine. Dinosaur Stink Bug is a pretty
awesome description.
Thanks! My kids will be disappointed that we can't call it
a dinosaur stink bug, but it we call it an assassin bug, it
will be almost as cool. Now that I know what words to search
for (wheel and assassin, I found some other pictures on your
site. I am forwarding your site to several friends who are
elementary school teachers. You could spend a whole week with
kids cruising around looking at bugs. Thanks for sharing
with the rest of us.
Blood
Sucking Conenose Bug from Mexico
(03/13/2008) Could you identify this insect?
Could you identify this insect? I have looked through the
beetle section on your site thinking that it is some kind
of a beetle or roach. There are quite a few interesting insects
there. I enjoyed watching the different colors, shapes and
sizes. I found a few that had similar form as this one but
none had like the yellow hour glass on the back. We do live
in Southern Mexico. I would love to know about the bug, is
it dangerous? This is about the 10th one we have come across
during our 12 years here. There are always beliefs but I would
like the truth about the bug. Thank you for helping me out!
You seem to really enjoy the varieties of the insect world!
Great site!
Anna
Hi Anna,
In our opinion, you have cause for concern. We believe this
is Triatoma
dimidiata, one of the Blood Sucking Conenose Bugs known
to spread Chagas
Disease. According to Wikipedia,
Triatoma dimidiata ranges throughout South and Central America,
north to Mexico. Triatoma dimidiata and other Blood Sucking
Cone Nose Bugs are Assassin Bugs, not Beetles. Members of
this genus are also known as Kissing Bugs due to the frequency
of biting victims around the lips.
Assassin
Bug from the Philippines
(02/16/2008) I need info on Vesbius pupureus, is it harmful?
Dear Bugman,
Hi, I wrote to you several times before about this red bug
(Vesbius purpureus) I found crawling in my room. I still
can't find any information about it on the net. Last night I
spotted this guy crawling near a crack (where it lives).
It had babies a couple of weeks ago and they scooted back
into the crack whenever they saw me coming. I live in a wooded
area and there are ants in my room. A few week ago, red
ants invaded my room and I saw the bug family happily sitting
by an ant trail, sticking out their long proboscis (freaking
me out) and impaling and sucking ants. Do these bugs
drink human blood? I'm grateful to them for ending my
ant problem but seeing them eat is scary!! Where do
they get their red coloring from? Do they actually have
a "family unit"? Thank you!!
Martin
Where in the world are you???
Dear Daniel,
I'm from the philippines! Thanks very much!
Hi Martin,
First we want to apologize for not responding to your previous
requests, but it is actually a physical impossibility for
us to respond to every letter. Second, we are very curious
how you got a scientific name without any additional information.
It is also noteworthy that you neglected to include a letter
"r" in the species name of Vesbius purpupeus. Your insect
is most definitely an Assassin Bug in the family Reduviidae,
and the feeding habits support that. We did a google search
of "Reduviidae", "Philippines" and "Vesbius" but the only
thing we could locate was a stamp
issued in 1988. We also located a mention of the genus
Vesbius in an Integrated
Pest Management report that discussed it as a possible
biological control for potential insect pests. We then found
a website on the biodiversity
of Indian Assassin Bugs, which indicates the genus Vesbius
is in the subfamily Harpactorinae. Most relevent to your questions,
perhaps, was a site that discussed Hemipterans
that prey on insects that infest stored products, and
this list included Vesbius purpureus. We found more images
here. There were many Chinese websites that mention Vesbius
purpureus. Assassin Bugs do have piercing mouth parts that
they use on prey, and they will bite people if provoked, but
few species actually feed off human blood. The Cone-Nosed
Bugs in the genus Triatoma are an exception. The communal
behavior you describe is not something normally associated
with Assassin Bugs, though we just posted an image of a pack
of Australian Assassin bugs attacking a Millipede, so communal
behavior is a possibility. In closing, we do not believe your
Assassin Bugs pose a threat to you, and if they are eating
ants, we say "Let them be."
Dear Daniel,
I knew the scientific name from my gradeschool stamp club.
I had the stamp with the insect on it. Yes, I will leave them
be. I have NO ants left in my room and sadly, I have not
seen any of these cute little bugs. Thanks,
Martin
Millipede
Assassin Bug Nymphs feed on Millipede in South Africa
(02/12/2008) African Assassins
Hiya from Mossel Bay, South Africa. I thought you might be
interested in these assassin bug nymphs (Ectrichodia crux)
feeding on a millipede. It looks so organised! Kind regards
Sally
Hi Sally,
Over the years, we have received a few truly memorable Food
Chain images, and this is one of the best. Thanks so much
for sending us your image of a "pack" of immature Assassin
Bugs feeding on a Millipede. More research led us to a photo
of an adult
Ectrichodia crux, and the common name Millipede Assassin
Bug. We promptly located another
photo of an adult. We will contact Rowland Shelley, who
identified all of our Millipedes, to see if he knows the Millipede
species. Here is his response: "The milliped could be one
of several things, but I'd say it's a representative of the
family Spirostreptidae, order Spirostreptida. Best I can do.
Rowland"
Masked Hunter
(01/25/2008) what is this bug?
Hey bugman,
My wife freaked and called me to the bedroom and told me to
kill this bug. Insyead I picked it up and put it in a jar,
it looks like a tick of some sort, but the size of it makes
me worried, I have a young daughter and a bite from a tick
that big would hurt..I took the picture beside a penny so
you could see the size, it also has some powder like substance
on its body and legs. Could you please let me know what we
have walking around in our apartment? Thanks
Barry
ONT, CANADA
Hi Barry,
You have encountered an immature Masked Hunter, a species
of Assassin Bug. The Masked Hunter is covered with sticky
hairs that attract dust and debris, masking it. This is a
beneficial species that preys upon Bed Bugs, but like many
Assassin Bugs, it will bite if mishandled.
Unknown Zelus Assassin Bug species
(01/13/2008) lohita grandis or something else?
Dear What's That Bug,
We've been avid fans of your site since we discovered it back
in September when trying to identify a spider we had and also
later, an army cutworm moth. My daughter, Odessa, is an avid
bug fan and thinks your site and bugs in general are the coolest
thing in the world. Currently she has 4 spiders in habitats:
1 false widow, 1 common brown house spider, 1 wolf spider
and 1 cross spider. The wolf spider and the house spider made
egg sacs about a month after we had them so we're anxiously
awaiting the big birthdays and release of the newborns into
the wild. Now, on to our question... my daughter rescued this
bug in the attached photo from a spider web on our balcony
BEFORE the owner of the web got to it. From what we
can find, it's a asian region species of Lohita Grandis? This
appears to be a male. We can't find any info on it other than
it's territorial range and that it wreaks havoc on Pakistani
cotton fields. Is it definitely Lohita Grandis? What does
it eat? How do we care for it? Should we keep it or release
it? It is .75" long, bright red body (photo is washed
out) and found in West Los Angeles, CA, January 2008 Thanks
What's That Bug? Happy New Year!
Matthew (dad) & Odessa Stork (future entymologist)
Hi Odessa and Matthew,
We believe this is an Assassin Bug in the family Reduviidae,
but we cannot locate an exact match on BugGuide. The closest
we can find is the genus Oncerotrachelus.
We will check with Eric Eaton to get his opinion.
Update: (01/15/2008)
Daniel:
This is a species of Zelus that I haven't conclusively identified
yet. It will probably turn out to be Z. tetracanthus, which
is highly variable in color and body form, and widespread
in its distribution. In this image, the specimen has its
wings spread slightly.
Eric
Daniel,
Thank you for your response. My daughter Odessa was thrilled
to hear from you and she's curious to see what type of assassin
bug it turns out to be. She used her small, 2 mega pixel camera
to photograph it. I will try to get a better, macro photo
with my 8 mega pixel Nikon tomorrow if it will assist in helping
identify it. Thanks again for the quick response. This bug
seems like it's far from home. We look for bugs almost every
day and in the past 9 months never saw a single bug like this.
Best Regards,
Matthew Stork
Beautiful Wheel Bug Photo
(01/09/2008) GEM PHOTO?
Hi, I submitted this photo a couple of times but haven't seen
it posted yet. I think It is a pretty good pic. for the
species (ASSASSIN). in consideration that you may be quite
occupied and may have possibly overlooked it I am making one
more attempt. this little guy flew in and paid me a visit
on my front porch just as the sun was about to go down here
in East Tennessee. Thank you for a wonderful site, It is very
Informative as It Is where I learned these little creatures
can be quite vicious to bug and man alike.
Jerry D. Wright / Harriman,Tennessee
Hi Jerry,
We appreciate your patience and persistence. Your Wheel Bug
photo is indeed quite spectacular. It is actually quite romantic.
As a point of clarification, Wheel Bugs are not vicious, and
will not attack you, but the bite is quite painful.
Assassin Bug from Madagascar
(12/04/2007) Bright assasin-bug?
Hi,
I took these pictures a year ago in Madagascar and I'm struggling
to identify the insect. It seems to have the same shape as
some of the assassin bugs on your site, but none of them appeared
to have the right colours. Do you have any idea what it is?
Even the local guides said they hadn't seen them before.
There are quite a few other bugs shown in the same section
- http://www.jimkeir.co.uk/Madagascar/index.html
. Help yourself Cheers,
Jim
Hi Jim,
We agree that this is probably an Assassin Bug. It most resembles
the Bee Assassins in the genus Apiomeris,
but all bets are off when it comes to the tropics. Many exotic
species are described to science, and logged into museum collections,
but there is not much information available to the lay person
online regarding identification and imagery.
Milkweed Assassin Bugs
(11/24/2007) orange bug ??
Can you tell me what the name of this bug is? They were on
my Mexican firebush. They almost look like a milkwed bug but
have a different head.Thanx,
Scott
Hi Scott,
You are correct that the Milkweed Assassin Bug in your photo
resembles the Milkweed Bug, but while the Milkweed Bug is
a vegetarian, the Milkweed Assassin Bug is a carnivore.
Wheel
Bug
(11/08/2007) Some good Assasin Bug bug photos
I don't know if you need more photos of this dinosaur looking
bug, but it looks like an Assassin Bug (Wheel Bug) I saw on
your site. Enjoy. (BTW: I didn't kill it).
Rhett
Hi Rhett,
This might be our favorite image of a Wheel Bug ever. The
forced perspective makes it look enormous. A lower horizon
line would make it look like it was about to trample unwary
humans trying to flee the behemoth.
Wheel Bug
(11/04/2007) Assassin Bug (Wheel Bug)
This Assassin Bug (Wheel Bug) landed on my Son-In-Law's
finger while we were sitting in our parked car with the windows
open. The location was Ligonier Pennsylvania (about
60 miles east of Pittsburgh -- southwest PA). Thank-you
for your excellent website which allowed us to learn much
more about this interesting "Bug". Apparently
we were lucky that the bug did not decide to sting, since
the sting can be quite painful as I learned from your web
site. Thanks again for all the superb reference information
on the Insect World.
Emerson Ray
Pittsburgh, PA
Hi Emerson,
Thanks so much for adding to our archive with this great Wheel
Bug photograph.
Wheel Bug
(11/02/2007) Wheel Bug Pics
Hi there,
My husband discovered this Wheel Bug on our front porch railing.
I snapped some pics & was able to identify it thanks to
your site. We wondered why our cat wouldn't go after it since
he LOVES to play with bugs before he eats them. I learned
about the scent they give off, so I'm guessing that's why
the cat left him alone. I'm including several pics. Use any
or all of them, if you want. Thanks for the site. I'm a former
science teacher & plan to return to the classroom soon.
Your site will be a great asset!
Darla Hailey
McMinnville, TN
Hi Darla,
The current photo of a Wheel Bug on our homepage is in need
of replacement, and your photo will do nicely.
Milkweed Assassin Bug Nymph eats fly
(10/17/2007) WTB?
Can you help with this one? Thanks,
Frank Trimborn
Houston, TX
Hi Frank,
What a wonderful photo of an immature Milkweed Assassin Bug,
Zelus longipes. The nymph will eventually grow wings. Assassin
Bugs are tireless predators that can also bite painfully if
mishandled.
Thread Legged Bug
(10/08/2007) Walking Stick?
Hello from Wichita!....found this guy early Oct. and was wondering
if he is a walking stick? Found it interesting that
he has preying mantis like "arms"....love your site...
thanks
Carrie
Hi Carrie,
Your fascinating insect is called a Thread Legged Bug. Thread
Legged Bugs are Assassin Bugs that have been given their own
subfamily: Emesinae. Based on the size of your specimen, it
must be in the genus Emesaya, probably Emesaya brevipennis
which can be found on BugGuide.
Mating Assassin Bugs
(10/07/2007) mating Pselliopus Assassin bugs.
I thought I would contribute an image for your bug love page.
I think these are assassin bugs in the genus pselliopus. please
correct me if im wrong though. I hope you like the picture.
I love your website!!!
Mike D.
Hi Mike,
No correction is necessary. Your identification Pselliopus
Assassin Bugs mating is correct. BugGuide
calls them Sycamore Assassin Bugs and mentions two species:
"In the southeastern United States, there are two widespread
species: P. cinctus and P. barberi. Photographs identified
as P. barberi are very orange, without much marking on the
scutellum. Others from the same area are very brown, with
some markings on the scutellum. It is possible the orange
individuals are P. barberi and the more brown ones are P.
cinctus . This needs investigation. " If this is correct,
it appears you have photographed Pselliopus barberi.
Wheel
Bug
(10/04/2007) Mr. Spikes
Hello.
Pray tell, who is this wise old creature of yore? I have seen
a few of them wandering about outside. They seem to take on
a few characteristics of the Brochymenas , Tree Stink Bugs.
Could be a relative? Quite intelligent.. moreso then their
cousins. They are about 2-3 inches and stand 1-2 inches tall.
By the looks of it they seem to be predatory. Any information
would be helpful. Thank you so much.
Megan R. Pritchard
Hi Megan,
We meant to post your letter and photo the day we received
it, but we ran out of time. We just remembered it today. This
is a Wheel Bug, one of the predatory Assassin Bugs.
Thread Legged Bug
(09/25/2007) Walking stick identity
We found this insect inside our house. It appears to be a
walking stick, but much smaller and finer than the ones we
usually see. It is a little over two inches long including
its folded legs in front. It has light colored speckles/stripes
on its back sets of legs. Could you tell me what species it
might be? We are in Asheville, NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Thank you,
Angie
Hi Angie,
This is a Thread Legged Bug in the Assassin Bug subfamily
Emesinae, probably Emesaya
brevipennis.
Wheel Bug eats Paper Wasp
(09/25/2007) Wheel Bug eating a wasp.
I got some good photos today of a wheel bug enjoying its wasp
lunch. Here are the two best ones. I hope you enjoy them.
Mike D.
Hi Mike,
All Assassin Bugs are effective hunters, and Wheel Bugs, probably
the largest North American Assassins, can take significantly
larger prey. This Polistes Paper Wasp is a good example.
Mating
Milkweed Assassin Bugs
(09/24/2007) mating milkweed assassin bugs
A couple of weeks ago, I was working in my garden in Charleston
,SC when I was stung by one of these critters. I had seen
them around from time to time and was always fascinated by
their appearance. They could easily have been “stars”
in a Dr. Seuss book! And since I am not a native of
the southern US, they were alien to me. The sting was
perhaps the worst I have ever experienced in my 60+ years
on the earth! When he/she stung me, the immediate pain was
intense enough to make me crazy. I swatted at the critter,
attached to the inside of my left upper arm, and it STUCK
to me through three blows to it. After I dislodged it,
I couldn’t find its corpse. But then I found this mating
pair after a few days and snapped these shots so I could send
them to an entomologist at Clemson University for purposes
of identification. These are yours to use as you see fit.
Tom Bradford
Hi Tom,
Thanks for sending in your photo of mating Milkweed Assassin
Bugs, Zelus longipes. As a point of clarification, they bite,
not sting.
Orange Spotted Assassin Bug
(09/16/2007) What's eating the cricket?
This was taken earlier this evening with the night photography
feature on my camera. What is this? Thanks. Love your web
site.
Cathey
Hi Cathey,
There are several very similar looking Assassin Bugs in the
genus Rasahus that are collectively known as the Orange Spotted
Assassin Bugs. One species, Rasahus thoracicus, is also known
as a Western Corsair. Sadly you did not provide us with a
location which might have helped with the exact species.
Damsel
Bug or Assassin Bug??? Thread Legged Assassin Bug
(09/16/2007)
We returned to our Mt Washington Los Angeles offices this
evening after going to see the wonderful new David Chronenberg
film Eastern Promises, and we found this unusual Hemipteran
under the light at the front door. It is not quite an inch
long and is covered in dust much like the Masked Hunter. It
is winged and has very short raptorial front legs. It flies
if disturbed. We managed to get several images from several
angles, but fine details are difficult to make out since the
insect is covered in fibers. We can't quite figure out if
this is an Assassin Bug or one of the Damsel Bugs in the family
Nabidae.
Perhaps Eric Eaton can help solve this mystery.
 
Update (09/17/2007)
Dainel: Your assassin bug is one of the threadlegged assassins
in the genus Stenolemus. I think they are specialized predators
on spiders. Did not know they occured there, but will start
looking for them now here in Arizona! There are some great
images of cleaner Stenolemus on Bugguide.net.
Eric
Mating
Wheel Bugs
(09/15/2007) Exhibitionist Wheel Bugs
Hi!!
Your site taught me so much this evening! I found these
bugs on my sunroom screen in central Indiana. I had
never seen either a male or female before, so imagine my surprise
to catch both in the act. Please excuse my camera's
blur. They have been in the same spot for at least four
hours (the exhaustion!! J). Are wheel bug nymphs very tiny
(2 or 3 mm)? I saw a pic of one on your site as well.
I may have been enthralled with one a few months ago.
I must have watched it clean (?) its little antennae
for 20 minutes on my fiancé's lease property in southern
Indiana last spring. Thank you for the great information.
By the way, I read about both of you. How in the
world did two photography instructors working on an art project
(too cool) find time to become bug experts??? Blessings,
Carly
Hi Carly,
We have posted several photos of Wheel Bugs the past few days,
but we can't resist also posting your documentation of the
procreative act. To be honest, we don't really consider ourselves
experts just yet, but we have gotten very good at research.
Wheel
Bug
(09/14/2007) What the heck is this! Inbox
Fly into my yard,about 2 inches long.
Julie.
Northern Louisiana.
Hi Julie,
This predatory Assassin Bug is known as the Wheel Bug.
Wheel
Bug
(09/14/2007) Stegosaruas Bug?
Howdy Bugman!
This little fella was found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
outside of our News Station. The picture was taken with
a video camera so the quality is not the best. It was
about half the size of a playing card, brownish copper body
and was winged. It had a very distinct barb that appeared
to be coming out of its head and six legs. We named
it the stegosaurus bug because of its spikey back. The
closest thing we’ve found to compare it to is a CRESTED
KATYDID, although we read they are only found in Australia.
Please give us the lowdown; we were hoping to add it to the
end of our newscast!
Much thanks ~ The Cable 11 News Team
Dear News Team,
We are so sad we missed the chance to be part of "News at
11" but you still might be interested in knowing that this
is a Wheel Bug, Arilus cristatus. Wheel Bugs are a species
of Assassin Bug and are important predators in the garden
where they quickly dispatch many plant pests. The downside
is that the Wheel Bug can give the careless handler a painful,
though not serious bite. Wheel Bugs are not easily confused
with other insects because of the signature cog or wheel on
the thorax. We hope this is not too late to get this amazing
insect on your broadcast.
Orange
Spotted Assassin Bug
(09/07/2007)
Hi,
My son alleges the bug in this picture bit his thumb. When
capturing it, I accidentally killed it. Can you tell me what
kind of bug it is? Thanks.
Nathan
Hi Nathan,
This is a Orange Spotted Assassin Bug, Rasahus thoracicus,
also known as a Western Corsair. Their bite is reportedly
quite painful.
Assassin Bug eats Cricket
(08/31/2007) Whats that Bug
Hey Bugman, caught this in my kitchen feeding on a housefly.
I put him in a little bugviewer and took some pics. It stabs
its prey with its needle and sucks em dry. It stabs the bugs
all over rolling it around while it eats. Never flew but it
has wings. Doesnt make any sounds. Walks around very slowly.
Int the photot he is eating a cricket. I live in Columbia
Missouri.
Nouri
Hi Nouri,
This is an Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus. Be careful
handling your pet since they can bite and the bite is painful.
Assassin
Bug
(08/25/2007) patriotic beetle?
Was hoping the picture would turn out better - first try with
new digital camera. This specimen was gracing our front door
for several hours a few nights ago ... ( northwest Arkansas,
mid August) If you know him I'd like a name. TIA,
Mitch
Hi Mitch,
This is not a beetle. It is an Assassin Bug. Even though the
photo is quite blurry, it is undoubtedly Microtomus purcis.
Mating Yellow Bellied Bee Assassin Bugs
(08/06/2007) photograph of assassin bugs mating; showing male's
sexual organ (?)
Hi.
I am new to your really fun and interesting-while-informative
site. I enjoy photography and was outside three days ago
taking pictures of the sunflowers in my front yard here in
Phoenix, Arizona. There were two bugs mating (assassin
bugs per a 6/16/2006 post on your site that I just noticed
last night). It seems as though you can actually see the male's
sexual organ, as the pair were in an almost belly-to-belly
position, with one of them actually hanging off the flower (would
this be the male?) while the other bug is perched on top.
I appreciate the time and effort you spend on your site.
I know I have a greater respect and enjoyment of bugs
because of it. Thank you.
Jo Ann
P.S. I was just wondering if you would be interested in seeing
the picture. I didn't want to just send in a picture that
may be too graphic for your site, so I am first writing to
ask if it is okay.
Hi Jo Ann,
My, what an impressive image of mating Yellow Bellied Bee
Assassins, Apiomerus flaviventris. All of the submissions
on BugGuide
are also from Arizona. We believe the lower insect in your
photo is the male. For the record, we are of the opinion that
acts of nature are not too graphic for our website. We do
not care, however, to exactly define what an act of nature
is. We are also mindful of the parameters of our website's
content, and despite the iguana and lizard page, we confine
ourselves to invertebrates, with the exception of collateral
inclusion of various quadripeds and bipeds, birds and fish
that are seen in relationship to our typical subject matter.
Thanks again for an awesome addition to our site, and a new
species as well.
Wheel
Bug eats Japanese Beetle
(07/18/2007) Wheel bug eating a Japanese Beetle
Thought you might like to see the wheel bug in action.
I live in northern Virginia and saw two wheel bugs fighting
over this beetle. When I came back with my camera the
winner was enjoying his meal. Now if I could just
get him to eat the other 10,000 beetles in my flower garden.....
Thanks for having such a wonderful site!
Helen
 
Hi Helen,
We have gotten numerous reports of Wheel Bugs feeding on Japanese
Beetles this year, but your photo is the only visual documentation
we have received. Thanks so much for sending in your dramatic
image.
Bee
Assassin
(07/18/2007) here's my bug
Any clue as to what this interesting little bug is? It has
such an interesting pattern on its back and the "belt"
around its middle!!! Thank you.
Nikki Humphrey
Hi Nikki
This is a Bee Assassin, Apiomerus spissipes. According to
BugGuide:
"It pounces on Honey Bees and other pollinating insects. It
holds the captive in its powerful legs, thrusts its cutting
beak into the victim's back, injects an immobilizing digestive
agent, then sucks out the body juices."
Leaf
Hopper Assassin Bug
(07/14/2007) My Assassin Bug is growing up
Thanks for identifying my assassin bug for me a week ago.
Because of the identification, I decided to keep it and see
what would happen. I've been feeding it mealworms I bought
at a local pet store, and this morning I was surprised to
see it had shed its skin and had a completely new "color scheme",
plus it got bigger. My camera decided to work (although my
bug doesn't like the camera's flash too much), so I took some
more pics. In the pictures I sent you can see 4 pictures of
its new form, and in the lower left hand side is a mealworm,
which is still alive. The last picture is of its discarded
shedded skin on the right, and on the left is a mealworm which
had the life sucked out of it! It was really quite amazing
to see; the assassin bug climbed on top of it, inserted its
probiscis, and after the worm struggled it was all over. In
about 3 hours it was completely drained. I'll keep you posted!
Thanks again!
Rudy
Hi Rudy,
Now that your Assassin Bug has matured, it looks to us like
a Leaf Hopper Assassin, Zelus
renardii, a species found in California.
Eastern Blood Sucking ConeNose Bug
(07/14/2007) found this bug.
Dear bug man,
I found this bug on a lamp shade in my living room. I moved
it over to a table and got these great pictures of it before
i put it in a bag and let it go, outside. I would like to
know what kind of bug it is. Is it a type of beetle? A
type of boxelder bug? please help!! Sincerely,
bug lover in Missouri
Dear Bug Lover,
This is an Eastern Blood Sucking ConeNose Bug, Triatoma sanguisuga.
Their normal food consists of the blood of small mammals,
like wood rats, but they will bite humans. As in your case,
they will invade homes. According to BugGuide:
"Bite causes severe allergic reaction in many humans. Bite
and defecation into bite can transmit Chagas disease, caused
by Trypanosoma cruzi , a protozoan. The most notorious vector
is T. infestans, found in South America. The North American
species are not normally thought to transmit the disease,
though they can carry the parasite. (The North American species
do not normally defecate at the site of the bite, which is
what actually transmits the parasite." Chagas Disease is a
serious problem in the tropics. Though the liklihood of catching
the disease from a North American species appears unlikely,
you should nonetheless use extreme caution when handling one
of the ConeNose Bugs.
Wheel Bug
(07/10/2007)
Could you please identify this bug for me. A friend
of mine was bitten or stung by it and it caused his finger
to blister and swell. I would also appreciate any info
you could provide also. We live in north central Tennessee.
Thank you,
Sue
Hi Sue,
This is the first photo of an adult Wheel Bug we have received
this year, though each summer we get numerous excellent submissions.
Those can be located on our Assassin Bug pages. We have received
immature nymph photos this year, including one report, that
we were too busy to post, that lists the Wheel Bug as predatory
on Japanese Beetles. Like all Assassin Bugs, Wheel Bugs can
deliver a painful bite if mishandled. The Wheel Bug is an
important beneficial predatory species.
Bee Assassin eats Japanese Beetle
(07/02/2007) assassin but
Hi.
I live in Cleveland Georgia. My apple tree is being
eaten by Japanese Beetles. I read quite a bit about
them on the web and mostly learned there are no nature enemies
of them. BUT a couple of days ago when I was picking
them off my tree, I ran across this threesome. Only
2 of the bugs are clear - the dead/dying J/B and the bug on
the bug eating the J/B. I've been told it is an assassin
bug and after searching the web, I'm figuring it is the blood
sucking conenose. Is it? Since this pic, I have
found another one in a flowering bush that also is infested
with J/B's. They have not acted aggressive, even when
I have almost touched them. Because they like the beetles,
I don't want to run them off!!! Thanks,
Beth
Hi Beth,
We are guessing that you meant Assassin Bug and not "Assassin
But" in your subject line. This is not a Blood Sucking Conenose.
It is a Bee Assassin, Apiomerus crassipes and BugGuide
has a detailed photo for comparison. We doubt that there are
enough predators out there to significantly curb the Japanese
Beetle emergence each year, but it is nice to see the Assassin
Bugs are trying.
Wheel Bug Nymph
(06/21/2007) Wheel Bug Nymph
I bought my girlfriend a Nikon D40x for her birthday, and
we decided to try it out on Wednesday. We went for a nature
walk in a wetlands park in southwestern ohio, and came upon
this little bug sitting on a wooden post. I would have gotten
a shot with it so for size, but crawly things give me the
willies! I searched and searched for what it could be, and
came upon your website. I believe it's a Wheel bug Nymph,
but I could be wrong! Thanks,
Drew
Hi Drew,
Yes, your are correct. This is a Wheel Bug Nymph. We hope
your lucky girlfriend gets to take many more wonderful photos
with her fabulous birthday gift.
Adult Masked Hunter
(06/16/2007) beetle? in Minnesota...sorry
Dear Bugman,
These bugs seem to come out of nowhere. I've tried to i.d.
them without adding to your long list of requests, but no
luck. Thanks so much for this great website. It's terrific.
Morgan in Minnesota
Hi Morgan,
This is not a beetle. It is an Assassin Bug known as the Masked
Hunter, Reduvius personatus. The immature insects are sticky
and attract lint, masking them from potential enemies. Masked
Hunters are predators and one of their favorite foods are
Bed Bugs, making Masked Hunters welcome additions in the home.
According to BugGuide:
"Adults can inflict a painful bite if mishandled. Individuals
may occasionally enter homes in search of invertebrate prey
but they have no interest in humans, do not feed on blood,
and do not transmit any diseases."
Masked
Hunter
(05/18/2007) crusty the bug
Any information regarding this specimen would be much appreciated.
I found the little guy in my basement. At first I thought
it was a small spider (it moved like a spider as well). It
also rights itself when on it's back similar to a crayfish
of lobster. Weird little thing eh Thanks for your time,
Dave from Winnipeg, Canada
Hi Dave,
This is a Masked Bedbug Hunter, one of the Assassin Bugs.
Immature Masked Hunters are sticky and all manner of lint
sticks to them and masks them.
Masked Hunter
(04/22/2007) Can you identify this?
Hi - can you help?
Over the last few years we've found three or four of these
in our home. As it's an old house (about 300 years old) I'm
a bit worried that they might might be doing damage to hidden
woodwork, but I don't want to harm them if possible. They
don't seem to have any wings, and mostly they don't move although
they can shift fast when they need to. They have flattened
concave bodies and flattened limbs, and they almost look as
though they're covered in dust. I've tried to identify them
from keys and from pictures, including those on your wonderful
site, but I haven't got anywhere.
Mike
Hi Mike,
This is a species of Assassin Bug known as a Masked Bedbug
Hunter, Reduvius personatus. The immature insects have a sticky
surface that collects dust and lint, masking them.
Wheel Bug
(04/21/2007) Assasin beetle pics
I think this is a Wheel Bug. Your site rocks! THANK YOU! Animals
in general are awe inspiring. Arthropods are especially interesting.
Enjoy!
neanderpaul
Dear Neanderpaul,
Yes, this is a Wheel Bug. As a point of clarification, Wheel
Bugs are Assassin Bugs, but they are not beetles. True Bugs
have incomplete metamorphosis where nymphs look like adults,
and beetles have a complete, four stage metamorphosis.
Assassinated Assassin Bug from Singapore
(04/20/2007) what is this?
hi there
i found this bug in my home yesterday and 3 more today. it's
about half an inch long. it's got a bright orange body and
black head and legs. it looks scary because it's really bright
warning orange and i'm afraid that it's poisonous. i live
in singapore (in south east asia) which is hot and humid all
year round. i've never seen a bug like this before in my home
and i hope it isn't poisonous because i've got cats. the pictures
should show a good morphology but the color isn't so good
so i attached a little swatch of digital color closest to
the color of the insect. there are no white dots on the insect,
it's just the light from the camera. if it's poisonous, what
can i do to get rid of it? the bug in the picture is dead
btw. thanks in advance!
cheers
samantha
Hi Samantha,
This is an immature Assassin Bug. They are not poisonous,
but can bite.
Assassin Bug
(03/13/2007) MY NEW FAMILY MEMBER
THIS LITTLE GUY HAS TAKEN UP RESIDENCE ON THE TOP OF MY COMPUTER
MONITOR.(HE HAS BEEN THERE FOR 2 DAYS NOW JUST WALKING AROUND
EXPLORING). HE ALMOST DROWNED IN MY COFFEE CUP UNTIL I RESCUED
HIM. NOW BACK TO NORMAL (IT SEEMS) I KIND OF LIKE THE LITTLE
GUY. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HE IS AND WHAT SHOULD I DO TO KEEP
HIM FROM STARVING TO DEATH. BTW...I NAMED HIM LARRY. THANKS
FOR A GREAT WEBSITE.
JOHN
Hi John,
Larry is an Assassin Bug and Larry wants to eat insects.
Assassin Bug
(03/09/2007) Thank you. Pic of Pselliopus sp.
Just wanted to thank you folks for the great site. After spending
alot of time pulling hair searching the web for "orange
bug" I found your site and was able to identify the bugs
I came across while in the garage. I have included a picture
of one of the several Assassin bugs (Pselliopus sp.) I found
and identified thanks to your site. Thanks again,
Robert
Hi Robert,
Thank you for your kind letter and the photo of a Pselliopus
Assassin Bug you contributed to our site.
Milkweed
Assassin Bug Nymph
(03/05/2007) What's This Bug?
~HarrysAllOut
Hi HarrysAllOut,
We must say we are curious what you are out about. We are
also glad that all of our contributors aren't as thrifty with
words as you are of we would not have much of a site. This
is an immature Milkweed Assassin Bug Nymph.
Wheel Bug Lays Eggs, Eggs Hatch
(02/26/2007) Wheel bug mom
Thought you might enjoy this wheel bug that nested near my
shop last spring.
Keith
 
Hi Keith,
This is the first photo we have ever gotten of the adult female
Wheel Bug with her eggs.
Masked Hunter
(02/10/2007) bizarroid
This just in.... not. We found this character on the side
of a house in NE Pennsylvania in August of 2000, in the days
before we figured out how to focus the camera we had at the
time. Never saw another like it. For years we've just looked
back at the photo and laughed -- what could it be? Why did
it seem lichen-encrusted? Now, of course, there's your extraordinary
website, so we're hoping for an ID. Whaddayasay?
Jim & Sandy
NYC
bizarroid found on your site
Never mind this one. Found it on your site -- a Masked Bedbug
Hunter if I've ever seen one.
Hi again Jim and Sandy,
How nice to see you don't take all of your great photos in
Puerto Rico. Also very happy you successfully identified your
Masked Bedbug Hunter on our site.
Thread-Legged
Assassin Bug from New Zealand
(02/01/2007) Praying Mantis NZ
Hello,
I am in Dunedin New Zealand and I have found a facinating
looking Praying Mantis. It is approximately 13 - 15mm long
and looks like a mosquito at first glance. The photos do not
show it well but the legs are covered in fine hairs, and it
has long antennae coming off its tiny head. As far as i knew
there were only two types of Mantis in New Zealand, and I've
never seen anything like this before. Can you tell me what
it is?
Chirsty Brett.
 
Hi Chirsty,
This is not a Mantid. It is a Thread-Legged Assassin Bug,
one of the Hemipterans or True Bugs. It looks very similar
to the genus Stenolemus pictured on BugGuide.
Sasha Azevedo who posted the photos there has researched the
following information, but sadly, did not credit the source:
"The Stenolemus assassin bugs hunt spiders by aggressively
mimicking insects caught in the web."
Update: (02/05/2007)
Thread-Legged Assassin Bug from New Zealand
Hi Bugman,
In response to your recent poster's message regarding Stenolemus
and aggressive mimicry, I left no source because I gathered
information from a few statements and put it into my own words.
However, if you're interested in the link
that was used, this is it below. Good luck. :)
Sincerely,
Sasha Azevedo (© Sasha
Jade Photography)
Milkweed Assassin Bug Nymph
(01/31/2007) creepy little red bug
Hey Bugman-
What is this thing called? I think it's an assassin bug nymph,
but I'm not sure what kind. They love my herb garden, and
I've read that they are beneficial. I've been on the receiving
end of that nasty proboscis, but if they eat aphids, I guess
they can stay! Thought you might like this picture- you can
zoom in even closer if you want to- then he looks really creepy!!
Love your website!
Samantha
San Antonio, Texas
 
Hi Samantha,
After attempting to open your photo file five times, we succeeded.
This is an immature Assassin Bug in the genus Zelus. It is
probably Zelus longipes, the Milkweed Assassin Bug, that is
common in Texas. While Assassin Bugs are beneficial predators
in the garden, they will deliver a nasty bite to the unwary.
Assassin
Bug: Internal Parasite Excitement and Authenticity Question
(resolved)
(01/17/2007) Bug found in Houston, Tx
My name is Codie I am 8 years old. I was playing outside,
then I went to a pecan tree stump and I found this bug, (photo
included). It has a orange thorax with black and white dots.
It looked like it had very small black wings. Its face looked
like it had a hook part that went all the way to it's neck
and it looked like it connected to the neck. The antenna were
very big. They were bigger than the 6 legs. It had 3 body
parts like an ant. It is an insect and the thorax was very
big when I found it. Then a few days later we found out why
the thorax was so big. It was because it had a baby. At first
even when I caught it we didn't know the bug and we didn't
know the name of the bug. When the baby was born it was white
and looked like a cacoon and creeped around like a catapiller.
When I put it in a smaller vile it started to turn red and
it got hard and I think it died. Also, the thorax deflated
on the mommy and had a hole in it where the baby came out.
We still don't know what it is. Do you know what this is?
Thank you,
Codiemichael and Mommy Kerr
Hi Codie,
The photo you sent is of an immature Assassin Bug. These insects,
like most insects, lay eggs and do not give birth. It is immature,
and cannot reproduce until it becomes a winged adult. The
action you describe sounds more like an internal parasite,
but we do not know of another insect that parasitizes Assassin
Bugs. It could be some type of fly or wasp that is responsible
for the parasitization. You never said if the insect in the
photograph died, though we suspect it did.
Love the site! But a request....
Your site and the service you kindly provide for free is wonderful.
I have to check the site everyday. Just one request though....please
don't post anymore emails where a parent writes in as their
child, complete with "baby" language and descriptions. It's
ignorant and annoying. It is one thing to relate a story involving
the child (which can be cute) but quite another to take on
the persona of the child. I admire your dedication to posting
and the research and time put into the answers. Keep up the
great work! You're inspiring a wave of, well, if not bug love,
at least bug appreciation.
-Shannon
Hi Shannon,
What's That Bug? has always been child friendly and we do
not really edit letters. We thought there were enough grammatical
errors and misspellings to indicate that this was written
by an 8 year old.
Thank you so much! Codie spends a lot of time on your site
and has a huge interest in everything you have on there. After
much searching and absolutely no luck, my son thought you
might have the answer. He was so thrilled to see that his
very first e-mail was published on your website too! (yes,
he is the one who sent it, I just proof read it to make sure
he included everything). Thanks for all your help.
Update: (01/20/2007) assassin bug parasite
I think your analysis is right on. Probably a tachinid fly,
but in any event, the host-parasite relationship might very
well be undocumented. If the kid can get the larva to pupate
(maybe in a container with a shallow layer of soil), he might
be able to get an adult he can take to an expert for an identification.
Keep me posted.
Eric
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