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.
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Posted 14 July 2007
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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.
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Posted 14 July 2007
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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.
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Posted 10 July 2007
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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.
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Posted 02 July 2007
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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.
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Posted 21 June 2007
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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.”
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Posted 16 June 2007
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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.
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Posted 18 May 2007
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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.
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Posted 22 April 2007
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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.
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Posted 21 April 2007
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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.
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.
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Posted 13 March 2007
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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.
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Posted 09 March 2007
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