Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Backyard Bushcraft - The Backyard Assassin



 These bugs are very aggressive and are not afraid to attack creatures which are much larger than themselves. They can also inflict a very painful bite if they are not handled with extreme care. This can cause a somewhat severe reaction in some people but usually will not have a lasting effect. They are an extremely beneficial bug that helps in controlling the insect population. 


Assassin bugs are ambush predators that lay waiting for their prey to come within range and attack their victims with a long proboscis that impales their prey and is then used to inject a powerful toxin that dissolves the tissues of their victims.

The above photo is an assassin bug that has not yet fully matured. Most assassin bugs are found in late June to early August and are quite common in the southern parts of the United States. 

Even simple little creatures like assassin bugs can inflict serious pain upon you if you aren't careful. Assassin bugs can occasionally be found in your home around bathtubs, sinks, and drain pipes.

Got backyard assassins?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've never seen that bug before - interesting! Sort of a land based preying mantis.

riverwalker said...

To: anonymous 7:18

Most of the ones in my area are commonly referred to as "stink bugs".

This one was probably not fully matured and will probably look a bit different when it does finally mature.

Thanks anon.

RW

Groundhog said...

RW, check your yahoo email account. You might have been hacked.

riverwalker said...

Will check it.

Thanks Groundhog.

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