Reduviidae: Assassin Bugs

   Hello again! As spring has officially begun, I was going through my photos and thinking about what I really enjoy seeing the most and landed upon assassin bugs. I only have two kinds but I have many pictures of each. I never expect to find these guys because they're incredibly well camoflage but I always get excited when we spot one! The first picture I shared is of a time I remember with Joe when we were looking for other bugs and found this guy just hiding there!

   Members of Reduviidae are also hemipterans which means they are true bugs due to their piercing-sucking mouthparts. They are one of the largest families in Hemiptera. Almost all species in this family are terrestrial ambush predators. 

   Below is my favorite photo I've taken of the Pale green assassin bug (Zelus luridus). He really looks like an assassin lying in wait here!

   Most members of this family have a long, narrow neck, sturdy build, long legs, segmented body, and a curved proboscis. Coloration depends on species but they're usually brightly colored with hues of black, brown, red or orange. 

   Adults range from 12-36mm in size dependent on species. The legs of some members have areas covered in hairs to aid them in holding prey while others have forelegs comparable to the praying mantis which help them hold and catch prey. 

   A final fact in relation to appearance I thought was really cool is that nymphs cover and camoflage themselves with debris and remains of dead prey insects. 

   These images are of the Pale Green Assassin bug again and I think they show that long legged, narrow neck description quite well. These are all different subjects. They're pretty common where I live!

   A good example of the other type of assassin is this guy. I don't have a species but it is in the genus Phymata and is called a jagged assassin bug. I think these photos highlight those mantis-like arms.

   Their most distinctive feature doesn't have to do with their appearance as much as what they're able to do. It's called stridulation. The tip of their proboscis fits into a ridged groove in their prosternum which is the underside of their first body segment. When they rub against these grooves they can create sound which is mainly used to deter predators.

   Whether you're a human or a predator, you're going to want to handle larger specimens carefully because they defend themselves with their proboscis, which can be extremely painful and at times medically significant. Ask Joe, we're pretty sure a pale green assassin bug bit him one time! He didn't need medical attention but it did hurt.

   The effects of a bite in their prey is interesting because it either injects venom or digestive juices. They have lethal saliva that liquifies the insides of prey which are then sucked out. This is called extraoral digestion and it's very effective seeing that it's common for them to kill prey much larger than themselves.

   Earlier we mentioned that most Reduviidae are predators. What about those that aren't? They're mostly haematophagus which means they feed on blood. It's thought that this trait evolved because they lived in mammal's nests. In my opinion, the scariest ones are the kissing bugs which are in the subfamily Triatominae. They bite humans on the soft skin around their eyes and mouth while they sleep. They have the potential to transmit a fatal disease called trypanosomial Chagas disease. This results in the deaths of 12,000 people a year! 

   There are some scary bugs in this family that really live up to their assassin name! My favorites aren't harmful to humans, thankfully. I'm going to make sure to steer far away from those kissing bugs though! Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll talk to you next time! 

Yours, 

Jade