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Assassin Bug

Apiomerus sp.

Photo by Ozbird
Published on Project Noah
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-14.9787, -64.8566

Field Notes

Description:

This insect was feeding on some species of a wasp.

Species ID Suggestions

Assassin bug

Family Reduviidae
tmvdh
3

Comments (23)
Ozbird
Thx Antonio and Saumya! :)
Ozbird
Thank you Phil, Wild things and Dilan!
Phil_S
Congratulations! Great capture!
Ozbird
Thank you so much Project Noah for being chosen SOTW! Really awesome! And thank you Neil, Marta, Mark and Luis for your nice comments!
Neil Ross
An excellent spotting, Pieter. Congrats on your SOTW.
Mark Ridgway
Hey congratulations Pietre. Wow that size is impressive for an assassin.
KarenL
Congrats Pieter, your awesome capture is our Ranger team’s Spotting of the Week! An assassin bug sups on wasp soup - Predatory Assassin bugs use their long rostrum to inject a lethal saliva that liquefies the insides of their prey, which are then sucked out. Their saliva is so potent they are able to kill prey substantially larger than themselves. Facebook: https://upload.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/a.10150595289465603.674700.10150120463815603/10154177772440603/?type=1 Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/470769124210003969
Ozbird
Ha waw. It was not too big, the wasp was almost the same size in lenght as the bug. It's difficult to say but I assume it was about aprrox. between 3 and 4 cm in lenght.
Mark Ridgway
It just looks so different to most assassins I've seen. Wings folded back and longer than the connexivum.. splayed robust furry legs... almost all black ... and nature always holds surprises ! Can you estimate the size?
Ozbird
Thank you Mark. Really? I didn't know they could use mimicry!
Mark Ridgway
Fantastic Pieter. That is a rugged looking reduviid. And with such robust and hairy legs... maybe suspect some mimicry?
Ozbird
Thx venusflytrap2000! I was indeed also surprised when I saw it there with the wasp :)
Ozbird
Thank you very much for the ID Bayucca and tmvdh!
bayucca
I also would say Apiomerus sp.
tmvdh
... maybe genus Apiomerus
tmvdh
Looks like an assassin bug (family Reduviidae)

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National Geographic's Great Nature Project
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2014 Best Wildlife Photo
Photographed
PublishedMay 20, 2014

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