orange bug with black striped legs
Location: tuscaloosa, alabama usa
October 18, 2011 5:48 pm
I saw this bug at work one day and wondered what it might be it was on 10/18/2011 at abouth 2:00 in the afternoon
Signature: c.brown1023
Sycamore Assassin Bug
Dear c.brown1023,
You found a Sycamore Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus, probably Pselliopus barberi, though other species in the genus look quite similar. Assassin Bugs are predatory insects that are capable of biting humans if they are carelessly handled.
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¶ Posted 19 October 2011 § ‡ ° Saved this from drowning in my pool
Location: Northern California – Sacramento Valley
October 16, 2011 6:16 pm
Hello again!
I haven’t submitted in a couple years, but today I found something in my pool I’ve never seen before. I live in the Northern California Valley, near Sacramento. Don’t know if you can really see it in the pics, but it has a folding needle type mouth and Y shaped antennae. It was a slow mover and when you would touch the antennae it would raise it’s front legs and try to climb. Sorry for the bad cellphone pics, they’re only 5MP. I let the thing dry off on my hand and then let it go on some flowers out back. I’ll be looking around on here and online for any other help identifying this little thing. Thanks fr your time and help!
Signature: Toby
Spiny Assassin Bugs
Okay, so I did some research as to the insects mouth “type” and found that it has a Proboscis. Wikipedia said that Assassin Bugs have this and I followed that link, and lo and behold there was something that looks like my little friend. Days of searching can now end. Any help identifying species would be great if you can from the pics.
-Toby
Hi Toby,
You should exercise caution when handling the Spiny Assassin Bugs in the genus Sinea. See BugGuide for additional information. Like other Assassin Bugs, they might bite if carelessly handled. Because of your good deed, we are tagging your letter with the Bug Humanitarian Award.
Spiny Assassin Bug
1
Cockroach:Atlanta falcons Fan???
Location: Chesapeake, VA
October 14, 2011 11:19 pm
I saw this red black and white insect on the door in the back of the warehouse where I work. Its near the woods by a huge clearwater lake I was wondering if you could identify him. I’ve never seen one of these before, and I’ve lived in chesapeake all my life and it was during the time when the dismal swamp was on fire.. so maybe it migrated from NC? whats that bug?
Signature: -Jay
Assassin Bug
Hi Jay,
Your bug is classified in a totally different order than the cockroach. This is an Assassin Bug and we identified on BugGuide as Mictomus purcis, a species with no common name. Perhaps you should propose “Falcon’s Fan Assassin Bug” to the proper authorities as a suggested name.
¶ Posted 15 October 2011 § ‡ ° CREEPY A**ED BUG OGLES CHEERLEADERS!
Location: North-east PA
October 10, 2011 11:08 pm
Monday, October 10th, 2011. Sunbury, PA, 6:30pm, Practice Field.
Fortunately our girls are made of sterner stuff because even I was a bit weirded out by this alien looking bug. He/she was rather large, bug-wise, about 1 1/2-2 inches long (not counting his/her veeerrry long legs). Its’ head was disproportionately small and narrow compared to its’ body. Hopefully the pics are clear enough to see what I mean. I thought maybe it was some kind of nectar bug until I saw some of the pics you have of hunter-types. It has a very long spear-looking ”tongue” but I couldn’t get a clear enough shot to see if it had pincers, too. It had wings but didn’t seem to care to fly, even when I coaxed it onto a pencil to move elsewhere. What on Earth is it?? I can’t find anything listed even with the odd ”razor-ridge” along its’ back.
Signature: Hannah Lewis
Wheel Bug
Hi Hannah,
The cheerleaders were wise to not try to pick up this Wheel Bug, because though they are not aggressive, they are predatory Assassin Bugs and they might bite if carelessly handled.
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¶ Posted 11 October 2011 § ‡ ° What’s that bug?
Location: Indiana, USA
October 6, 2011 4:53 pm
I saw this bug today when I was getting ready to leave my apartment. It was about 2 inches long and at first I thought it was a spider! When I first found this site, I thought it might be a Western Conifer Seed Bug, but it has a prickly spine along it’s back and the Western doesn’t. Really curious about this bug, I’ve never seen anything like it before!
Signature: Drensik
Wheel Bug
Dear Drensik,
Though they are both in the same insect order, the Western Conifer Seed Bug is a plant feeding Leaf Footed Bug while your Wheel Bug is a predatory Assassin Bug. Wheel Bugs move slowly, and they will not attach people, however, they can deliver a painful bite if threatened or carelessly handled.
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¶ Posted 07 October 2011 § ‡ ° 2 interesting bugs
Location: Kitchener Ontario Canada
September 29, 2011 2:55 pm
Hi, Bugman
I have 2 bugs that I am curious about..
The first was found deceased on my windowsill, even so very pretty insect.
The 2nd Yellow bug I found today has the shape of an assassin bug almost from the top but I noticed mantis like hooked forelegs when viewed from the side.
Thanks
Signature: Martzart
Cuckoo Wasp
Dear Martzart,
The beautiful metallic blue insect you found dead in your car is a Cuckoo Wasp in the family Chrysididae. Your yellow insect is an Ambush Bugin the subfamily Phymatinae. In the not too distant past, Ambush Bugs were classified in their own family, but recent taxonomy has reclassified them as a subfamily of the Assassin Bugs.
Ambush Bug
1
Strange lime green insect
Location: Portland, OR
September 29, 2011 3:21 pm
Hi there I live in Portland, OR and discovered this bug the other day in a friends back yard. I don’t know if you can tell but it is rather small, that is a mason jar behind it. There is also a proboscis(sp)thing that you cant really see form this picture. It is really pretty and I am curious what it is I have never seen anything like it.
Thanks -Eric
Signature: Eric
Green Assassin Bug Nymph
Hi Eric,
You should handle this Assassin Bug nymph with caution as many members in the family will bite if provoked or carelessly handled. We don’t recognize the species and we have the energy to research the species tonight.
1
¶ Posted 30 September 2011 § ‡ ° Is this a giant stink bug?
Location: Clarksville, MD
September 29, 2011 12:51 pm
Hello Bugman,
We have quite a few stink bugs around our house this time of year (Clarksville, MD) and I found this one that resembles stink bugs though perhaps isn’t related? It is actually a large bug with a diamond-esque back with two smaller (though still large!) ones attached to its back. Pretty amazing, actually. Please let me know what this bug is!
Signature: Andy
Two Wheel Bugs courting a female
Hi Andy,
These are Wheel Bugs. They are members of the Assassin Bug Family Reduviidae in the suborder Heteroptera. Stink Bugs are also Heteropterans, however, they are in the family Pentatomidae. This is the second image of three Wheel Bugs attracted to one another that we have received in the past week.
1
¶ Posted 30 September 2011 § ‡ ° 
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