Insect with dragon heckles
February 9, 2010
Found dead on top of a box in my garage in Missouri in October (begin of fall). Has small head with what looks like a slender thorn coming from its mouth. Body looks like a piece of a stick cut on a diagonal. Has what looks like a stinger on it’s butt and the scariest part is the dragon heckle on it’s back.
suppies
Missouri in the fall (October)

Wheel Bug
Dear suppies,
This is a Wheel Bug and it is the largest North American Assassin Bug. The Wheel Bug is a predator that uses its mouth to pierce its prey and then suck the fluids from its body. It is capable of biting a person if it is carelessly handled, but it has no stinger.
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Posted 09 February 2010
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Insect with Fungus?
February 3, 2010
Is there an insect that normally looks “dusty?” Or is this fungus?
This insect was alive in December when it was found inside a house. No others were found. It was about 6 mm long. It may have been more plump before it was kept in a pill bottle for over a week.
Doug Cheever
Dubuque, Iowa

Masked Hunter
Hi Doug,
The surface of an immature Masked Hunter is sticky and it attracts lint and dust which helps to camouflage this predator.
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Posted 03 February 2010
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What is this bug? Is it harmful?
December 26, 2009
I found this bug inside the house on the window curtain. It can fly. I have found a couple of dead ones around the house recently. It is winter here but we have had some warm spells. This is the first year I have found this type of bug inside or outside.
George
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Assassin Bug
Hi George,
This is a species of Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus, most likely Pselliopus barberi. According to BugGuide, the adults overwinter and it might have sought shelter from the cold inside your home. Though they are not considered harmful, many Assassin Bugs will bite if carelessly handled, and Pselliopus barberi is no exception. Assassin Bugs are considered to be important predators in the control of other insects and their presence will help to ensure that problematic species do not become too plentiful.
Hi Dan
Thanks for the ID on the Assassin bug. I had put it outside so checked and it hadn’t moved since yesterday. Was into hibernation. When picked up (with a glove on) it began to move so I moved it to a safe place to overwinter. Certainly can use it to control unwanted bugs next spring and summer. Thanks, George
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Posted 27 December 2009
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Big Assassin Bug from the Amazon!
December 19, 2009
Found this amazing specimen on a hike in the amazon, about two hours downstream from Iquitos, Peru. It was about the size of A. cristatus, maybe a little bigger.
Sebastian
About two hours downstream from Iquitos, Peru

Assassin Bug from Peru
Hi Sebastian,
That is sure one impressive Assassin Bug. We don’t think we will be able to find a species name for you, but perhaps one of our readers will have luck in that department.
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Posted 19 December 2009
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Assasin But snacking honey bee
December 13, 2009
I took this while shooting a butterflies in Lamspasas, Texas, USA.
mikel68
Lampasas, Texas, USA

Bee Assassin eats Bee
Dear mikel68,
Your photo of a Bee Assassin, Apiomerus spissipes, feeding on a Honey Bee is beautiful. You can see additional images of this species on BugGuide.
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Posted 13 December 2009
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Some sort of assassin bug?
December 10, 2009
The other day my girlfriend ran into the room holding a bug that had been biting her arm. It was a tiny Hemiptera that, legs and all, would be only the size of someones fingernail. We examined it for a while then released it back out into the garden only to find dozens more. Despite the aggressive first encounter they proved to be very pretty, shy little things and proved to be rather difficult to photograph.
These pictures were taken in Taree NSW, Australia in early-mid summer.
My suspicion is that they are an assassin bug, or something similar. I hope you will be able to narrow it down for me.
-Jish
Taree, NSW, Australia

Common Assassin Bug
Dear Jish,
Nymphs are sometimes difficult to properly identify, but we believe this is an immature Common Assassin Bug, Pristhesancus plagipennis, which we identified on the Brisbane Insect website.
Brown bug beachside
November 20, 2009
I took this at a beachside campground in the South Carolina LowCountry. He was not quite a half inch long.He was very content and did not mind my presence.Could you tell me what it is?
macroguru62
South Carolina LowCountry

Immature spiny Assassin Bug
Dear macroguru62,
This is a spiny Assassin Bug nymph in the genus Sinea. BugGuide has many images of this genus. Your photo is wonderful.
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Posted 22 November 2009
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Whats this strange bug
November 12, 2009
its chilly right now in IL and 3 others near me have found these bugs so i am curious what they are
doesnt matter
Central Illinois US

Wheel Bug
Dear doesnt matter,
This beauty is North America’s largest predatory Assassin Bug, the Wheel Bug.
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Posted 12 November 2009
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Beetle
November 8, 2009
In the Okavango Delta in Botswana we encountered this beetle in a lodge. Unable to identify – can you help?
LosYaxons
Xaranna, Okavango Delta, Botswana, Africa

Red Spot Assassin Bug
Dear LosYaxons,
At least twice in the past, we have identified similar looking Assassin Bugs in the genus Platymeris. This one appears to be the Red Spot Assassin Bug, Platymeris rhadamanthus, based on online images and descriptions. Angelfire.com indicates: “Platymeris rhadamanthus (Red Spot Assassin Bug) is the least aggressive and smallest of the three pet species. It is still a very large African species capable of taking down huge arthropod prey many times its mass. The Red Spot Assassin has been kept for almost a decade but still can be hard to find. Defensive reactions result only from physical attack. If grabbed (immobilized) in such a way that the rostrum can contact skin it will give a bite worse than a bee sting, insignificant but very uncomfortable. These are normally kept in colonies with dozens of individuals at varying ages. This species is less prone to cannibalism than the other two. Egg to adult takes six to nine months and adults continue to live another two years. Eggs are dropped in the dirt.“ A close relative is known as the Mombo or Orange Spotted Assassin Bug, an even larger species. The American Tarantula Society Discussion Board has some gorgeous images of the Mombo.
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Posted 08 November 2009
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long-legged bug with shield-like armor on its back
November 6, 2009
I saw this bug in November of 2009. It was on my front porch. The closest description I can give is that it looked like a grasshopper only with flat wings instead of vertical wings. The shield-like “armor” on its back raised up about 1/4 inch from the body and appeared to have “fake” eyes on the lower front. Its head extended forward in an elongated fashion from the main body with long antennae. Pictures are included from the top, bottom and side.
R Morana
Northwest TN. near Kentucky Lake

Wheel Bug
Dear R,
This is North America’s largest predatory Assassin Bug, the Wheel Bug.
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Posted 07 November 2009
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