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Under the bright yellow petals of a tarweed plant, an insect known as the assassin bug kills its caterpillar victim by stabbing it over and over.
- 4 min
- 1.5M
- Deep Look
The Deadly Secret of the Assasin Bug. Discover the fascinating world of the Assassin Bug, an extraordinary hunter with over 7,000 species globally! Learn about their unique adaptations,...
- 4 min
- 103
- melieb80
Oct 12, 2024 · This small but deadly creature has developed a unique and cunning way of dealing with its prey, turning the hunt into an art. Watch how it transforms from a hun...more. In the shadowy corners of...
- 48 sec
- 535
- Esoteric Earthlife
Nov 4, 2024 · Once an assassin bug has located its target, it uses its narrowed neck to stab the prey and inject it with a powerful enzyme. This enzyme liquefies the internal organs of the prey, allowing the bug to suck out the nutritious contents.
- Assassin Bug Profile
- Interesting Assassin Bug Facts
- Assassin Bug Fact-File Summary
The word “bug” gets thrown around with reckless abandon in the non-entomology world, but it does have a true meaning in zoology: a true bug is from the order Hemiptera and is characterised by its piercing mouthparts and often shield-shaped body. Most bugs are plant suckers like aphids, but some feed on blood, such as bedbugs. Then there’s the famil...
1. They’re biters
All bugs bite one thing or another, but almost all predatory bugs live in the water, which makes assassin bugs unusual still. As bugs, these are real suckers. A long, rigid proboscis hides under the insect’s head, ready to unfold and impale unsuspecting prey. In most cases, this is a caterpillar or a small beetle, but sometimes it’s the young of a rival species!
2. Their proboscis is sheathed
Once they’re done slaughtering their enemies, that formidable piercing lance returns to its folded position, like a flick knife, under the head of the bug. It’s protected by a stiff sheath that not only keeps it sharp but also helps it talk.
3. They can use it to sing
Assassin bugs are capable of stridulation. This is a form of noise-based communication that can be accomplished by rubbing two stiff bits of insect together. Crickets, cicadas, and even longhorn beetles make sound this way, and as it happens, so do assassin bugs. While most insects use stridulation as a loving call to a potential mate, this would be uncharacteristic of a warrior race like the assassin bugs; instead, it seems to be primarily a defence sound and is thought to occur as a result...
Scientific Classification
1. “The Wheel Bug”, College of Agriculture Food and Environment. 2. Andrew A. Walker, “Melt With This Kiss: Paralyzing and Liquefying Venom of The Assassin Bug Pristhesancus plagipennis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)”, Science Direct. 3. “Parasites – American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease)”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 4. John H. Klotz (2010), “Kissing Bugs”: Potential Disease Vectors and Cause of Anaphylaxis”, Oxford Academic. 5. “Feather-legged assassin bug”, Pictur...
- Grasslands, forests and more
- Worldwide
- 6-10 months
- Up to about 3.3cm (1.5 inch)
May 4, 2023 · In Australia, assassin bugs use a lethal tool to ensnare snacks: resin from spinifex grass. Recent research shows that the crawly critters slather themselves in the gluey gum to catch and keep their prey.
People also ask
How do assassin bugs kill their prey?
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Can assassin bugs sing?
How do ants trap their prey?
May 10, 2023 · There are other types of assassin bugs that will trick their prey using disguises such as covering themselves up with dirt and striking as the prey passes. Other ant-eating assassin bugs produce a sweet liquid to lure their prey right to them.
