Bee killer assassin bug
Apiomerus sp.
5.03436, -75.4612
Field Notes
Description:
Assassin bugs use their proboscis to impale prey (insects and spiders) and inject powerful saliva that turns the prey's body contents to liquid. The bug then sucks up the juices through the proboscis, which acts like a straw.
Assassin bugs sometimes bite humans when provoked, for example when they become entangled in clothing. When they bite their saliva causes intense pain, but the effects are usually localised and temporary.
The Bee Killer Assassin Bug is a slow-moving predator that lurks among foliage and on flowers to ambush other insects as food. The species is found in open forest and woodland.
Length about 25 mm. The body is yellowish-brown with slender legs and transparent wings.
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