Assassin bug dining on Japanese beetle
September 20, 2009
While out scouting for butterflies, I came upon this slightly grizzly scene of a wonderful assassin bug dining on a Japanese beetle. Glad it wasn’t me!
This was taken on June 30, 2009 in Orange County, VIRGINIA — the original OC 
Lynne from Virginia
Orange County, Virginia
Wheel Bug eats Japanese Beetle
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for sending your wonderful Food Chain documentation. More specifically, the Assassin Bug is a Wheel Bug. We are sure your photo will bring great joy to many gardeners who are plagued each year by the appearance of the scourge, the Japanese Beetle. The invasive exotic Japanese Beetle appears in great numbers each year and feeds on many ornamental and food plants, including roses. We have heard that this year in Ohio, the Japanese Beetles can still be found despite the late date.
What is this bug?
September 17, 2009
It is bright orange usually walks up on it’s legs but can fly too. Has 6 dark black legs, wings, and 2 antennas. Likes to hang out in my garden or on my key lime tree. I have seen it out in the hot summer months here: June, July, August.
Carrie Labani
Houston, Texas
Milkweed Assassin Bug
Hi Carrie,
Your insect is a beneficial predator known as a Milkweed Assassin Bug that will help keep your plants pest free, though they will also prey upon beneficial pollinating insects. Treat the Milkweed Assassin Bug with respect as they might give a painful bite if carelessly handled.
¶ Posted 18 September 2009 § ‡ ° Bizarre yellow bug with red eyes!
September 14, 2009
We found this little guy/gal (1/4 or 1/8 of an inch long) on some flowers in the yard. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. Does anyone know what the heck this thing is?
Nessa
SW Missouri
Ambush Bug
Hi Nessa,
This is a predatory Assassin Bug known as an Ambush Bug. Not too long ago, Ambush Bugs were classified in their own family, but they have recently been downgraded to the subfamily Phymatinae of the Assassin Bug family Reduviidae. True to their name, the camouflaged Ambush Bugs will wait on flowers until a pollinating insect arrives to feed.
Mean Looking Armored ?
September 13, 2009
I found this bug in a web on my fence walkthrough. I have never seen anything like it. 6 Legs, “Spiky armor” down it’s back. and it’s head is like a needle. This is one mean looking bug! I don;t know weather it made the web or just got caught in it. On it’s lower-side, very back there is a red spot and it seems that it’s dripping down the web in the photos.
David
West, Lafayette, Indiana
Wheel Bug trapped in web
Hi David,
This is a predatory Wheel Bug and it is reported that the bite is quite painful. Wheel Bugs do not form webs and this individual has been trapped in a Spider’s Web.
¶ Posted 14 September 2009 § ‡ ° Tagged: food chain Beetle (?) Identification
September 13, 2009
A few days ago, I noticed one of these flying around the living room, and at first thought it was a yellow jacket. Yesterday, there were two, and today I’ve killed 3!
I’ve about worn myself out looking at bug sites and image searches, and thought you might be able to help. I’m not sure if its the recent rain, or the long drought proceeding it that has brought them inside.
Looking around, I thought they looked a bit like soldier beetles, but with opposite colorings. They are about an inch long, and seem to be attracted to the lights.
The bug in the pictures has been squished, but hopefully the markings are enough!
Thanks!
Sarah
Texas Gulf Coast
Corsair Assassin Bug Carnage
Dear Sarah,
Though they are not aggressive, if they are carelessly handled, Assassin Bugs in the genus Rasahus, known as Corsair Assassin Bugs, can bite painfully. Despite this fact, we still feel that these beneficial predators need not be killed unnecessarily, leading us to classify your letter as Unnecessary Carnage. Based on images posted to BugGuide, we believe your individual is Rasahus biguttatus.
Bug on goldenrod
September 13, 2009
Photographed this guy/gal on a goldenrod plant along driveway–think it’s gorgeous and would like to know what I’m admiring. Also want to enter photo in competition and need ID to accompany it.
Sue C
Southern Maryland
Assassin Bug
Hi Sue,
There is an entire ecosystem that thrives when the goldenrod blooms, from the nectar and pollen seeking creature, to the predators that prey upon them. This is an Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus, probably Pselliopus cinctus. According to BugGuide it is often found where insects visit flowers.
Thanks so much for your reply. I sort of thought it was an assassin bug based on what I could get from my insect guides. Sue
¶ Posted 13 September 2009 § ‡ ° Wheel Bugs mating
September 10, 2009
Just found these and searched for over an hour to find out what they are! I’m happy to say they’re beneficial in my yard, and thankfully I’m not a bug killer in the 1st place unless necessary. Would you like to add the photos to your collection? My 5 year old son is fascinated by them. Thanks for a great web site, its our go to for our bug questions.
Cara Bauer
St. Louis, Missouri
Mating Wheel Bugs
Hi Cara,
We love the interesting angles on your photos of mating Wheel Bugs.
Mating Wheel Bugs
¶ Posted 10 September 2009 § ‡ ° Tagged: bug love 13mm, green, armored tank/assassin bug-like body, with mantid forelimbs and a turtle head.
August 26, 2009
Hello again Bugman!,
Love your site.
I was looking over a stand of ragweed today, admiring all the activity, when I noticed there was a dead fly on one flowerheads, so I began looking deeper, in between the flowers, for a crab spider or something like that…and found this instead. It was scrunched down between flowertops as if lying in ambush. When I spread the flowers apart, it came walking out and stepped right up onto my finger. Didn’t seem to mind me photoing it numerous times, and even let me move it to the B-B-Q grill for better contrast. It only flied away when I tried to move it back to the ragweed. It’s about the same length as my fingernail (included for scale). I’ve never seen one of these before, but it does bear strong resemblance to the assassin bugs, except for it’s head, which is entirely different, looking more like a sea turtle from a Pixar movie. It has forelimbs like a mantid, or possibly a tiny cicada. It was also pretty hard to the touch like a stinkbug, and kind of weighty for it’s t iny size.
Mostly translucent green with a dark band across it’s abdomen, and a hard bony shell of a thorax which has a couple of knobs that protrude forward and up much higher than it’s head.
In a word, handsome.
Thanks much, Jeff Volpert
Topeka, Kansas, USA
Ambush Bug
Hi Jeff,
It would seem that Ambush Bug is an apt common name for your insect based on your letter. Recently Ambush Bugs have been downgraded from a family to becoming a subfamily status of the Assassin Bugs, Phymatinae. Your specimen is one of the Jagged Ambush Bugs in the genus Phymata.
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