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Bug of the Month February 2020: Assassin Bug

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Subject:  Beautiful assassin
Geographic location of the bug:  Southern Utah
Date: 02/08/2020
Time: 07:20 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Found this beauty in my garage and looking for second opinions as to the ID.
How you want your letter signed:  Jason

Assassin Bug:  Fitchia spinosula

Dear Jason,
We believe we have correctly identified your Assassin Bug as Fitchia spinosula based on this BugGuide image.  Because it does not have developed wings, we originally thought this was an immature individual, but according to BugGuide:  “Micropterous individuals are more common, although macropterous forms do exist. Macroptery is more common in males than females.”  According to Merriam-Webster, micropterous means “having small or rudimentary wings.”

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Wheel Bug

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Subject:  Alien!
Geographic location of the bug:  N.Carolina
Date: 01/18/2020
Time: 01:36 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Bugman I found this Alien on my porch & it looks like a Godzilla  foe…what is it?
How you want your letter signed:  Dustin

Wheel Bug

Dear Dustin,
Your “alien” is a Wheel Bug, the largest North American Assassin Bug and quite a formidable predator.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Assassin Bug from Bolivia is Zelurus festivus

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Subject:  Spikey wasp? Coral caterpillar
Geographic location of the bug:  Bolivia, Ascensión de Guarayos and Trinidad
Date: 12/13/2019
Time: 05:57 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi Bugman. I have spent the last year working at an animal sanctuary in the Bolivian jungle which means I encounter a huge amount of strange insects daily. These two particularly caught my attention and would love to know what they are. Many thanks
How you want your letter signed:  Chris

Assassin Bug:  Zelurus festivus

Dear Chris,
What you have mistaken for a “spikey wasp” is actually a stunning looking Assassin Bug, but we have not had any luck with a species identification.  We can assure you that this is NOT a Blood-sucking Conenose Bug or Kissing Bug from the subfamily Triatominae, a group known to spread Chagas Disease.  Many Assassin Bugs will deliver a painful bite if provoked or carelessly handled, but except for the Kissing Bugs, Assassin Bugs do not pose a threat to humans.  This individual is a very effective wasp mimic.  Perhaps Cesar Crash from Insetolgia will recognize it.  We will attempt to identify your Caterpillar at a later time.

Assassin Bug:  Zelurus festivus

Update: December 20, 2019
Thanks to Cesar Crash and Brandon Thorpe submitting comments, we now know this is Zelurus festivus.  There are also images on iNaturalist and Discover Life.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Spined Assassin Bug in Dried-Up Foliage Pose

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Subject:  Very odd looking bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Council Bluffs, IA
Date: 11/26/2019
Time: 11:40 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Found this guy on my front door mid last summer. I’m getting better at identifying, but this one has me stumped..
How you want your letter signed:  Wendy Starrett

Spined Assassin Bug

Dear Wendy,
This is a predatory Assassin Bug in the family Reduviidae, and we believe it is a Spined Assassin Bug in the genus Sinea, possibly Sinea diadema which is pictured on BugGuide.  The folded antennae are quite unusual.  We will attempt to get a second opinion.

Eric Eaton Confirms:
Yes, Sinea sp. in typical “you can’t see me, I’m dried-up foliage” pose.  LOL! …
Eric

I appreciate your reply! After a little searching of images of Sinea diadema I tend to agree. Some of the photos I saw showed partially folded antennae.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bed Bug found in Man Cave

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Subject:  Help with bug please
Geographic location of the bug:  Bartlesville Oklahoma
Date: 12/05/2019
Time: 10:30 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I have converted standalone garage that’s a man cave with a recliner. I’ve been noticing lots of these bugs crawling on me.
How you want your letter signed:  Richard

Bed Bug

Dear Richard,
Your man cave has Bed Bugs.  Was the recliner gotten second-hand?  Second-hand furniture is a common way to introduce Bed Bugs to a new location.  We suspect you are getting bitten while you recline.  Bed Bugs are blood suckers that will feed on sleeping humans.  They can be difficult to eradicate.

Thank you for your quick response. I was worried about that. I’ve never seen them before and they looked 90% like the pictures but with bugs never know. Thank you again I’m throwing it out and taking action to get rid of them!

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bed Bug

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Subject:  What type of insect?
Geographic location of the bug:  Maryland
Date: 12/05/2019
Time: 02:33 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I found this bug on my living room wal, curious to know what it is.
How you want your letter signed:  Mario

Bed Bug

Dear Mario,
This is a Bed Bug, and if you found one, there are likely more.  Infestations of Bed Bugs can be difficult to eradicate.  They are blood suckers that will feed on humans while sleeping.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination