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Wheel Bug Nymph
Arilus cristatus
32.5771, -80.1707
Field Notes
Description:
A rather unusual bug that has a head that appears hook shaped and a large lower half. long legs and antennas are also found.
"The wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), in the family Reduviidae, is one of the largest terrestrial true bugs in North America, being up to 1.5 inches, or 38 mm, in length; it is the only member of its genus. A characteristic structure is the wheel-shaped pronotal armor. They are predators upon soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars, Japanese beetles, etc., which they pierce with their beak to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue. Because most of their prey are pests, wheel bugs are considered beneficial insects, although they can inflict a painful bite if handled carelessly." - Wikipedia
Notes:
Wow. Not many bugs freak me out but this one did. I had no plans to get severely close to it and I just found it to be an oddity.
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