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Wildlife Spotting

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Field Notes

Notes:

A Reduviidae Predador (I think...) that thinks it's an ant. By my limited knowledge, it was on a very popular plant for carpenter ants (Camponotus) and by all indications, he wanted to go as one of them.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (11)
bugadrienne
You are correct, Leonardo. It has a proboscis that is very obvious to us. It sticks out like a sore thumb, but I wonder if the ants notice it. It might have a similar pheromone to them or it is likely to be attacked. :D
Leonardo Castro
bugadrienne, LaurenZarate... yes. Its imitation leaves some gaps. It also has a proboscis he can not hide at all! By the way, am I right? The correct term is "proboscis"? Thank you.
LaurenZarate
Great Mimic! (the lack of elbowed antennae also give it away) :)
bugadrienne
The thin neck is one if the features that caused me to think it was reduviidae.
bugadrienne
Your bug must be an immature. A nymph. Many insects have specialized mimicry as nymphs, but look different as adults. I think it is the case here.
Leonardo Castro
Thank you Sckel, Nayeli! bugadrienne, the problem is that here we have all these variations. We also have Hyalymenus tarsatus (or species virtually identical), the sp Hyalymenus, but all differ slightly from this. Unless we are looking for the same species in different growth stage. Very hard to say... :/
bugadrienne
Try Alydinae subfamily. Maybe Hyalymenus sp. We have a similar looking nymph in the US. It is Hyalymenus tarsatus. They may eat seeds. I too thought it might be Reduviidae. :/ It is fun to look it up!
Sckel
Wow, this is something new for me. I will observe the ants better from now on.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 4, 2013

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