# Assassin Bugs



## MrPitseleh (Oct 18, 2010)

Hey I found a bug yesterday and when I couldn't figure out what it was I caught it in a little container I already had a big fly in so right away it attacks the fly nearly 3 times it's size and although it got away I was still impressed by it so I kept it and then I just found another did some research and found out they're zelus assassin bugs. Didn't Even know these lived anywhere near my area. So I was wondering if anyone knew how to tell the gender sense I do have 2 now and I read they're sometimes used for pest control.


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## LauraMG (Oct 18, 2010)

Awesome find! You'll have to post some pics when you get a chance!


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## Peter Clausen (Oct 18, 2010)

It's not a very educated tidbit, but I'd guess the female's abdomen would be noticeably wider than the male's. My Arilus cristatus wheel bug colony displays this trait, anyway.

I have a quick Zelus story to tell. Last week, I was surprised to see a Zelus adult feeding on a slightly smaller, Zelus nymph, on the outside of my kitchen window screen. Two days later, I was outside looking at them because they were still there and I discovered that it was actually a mature Zelus and its molt. It had become tangled, while molting and died. If only I had known!


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## MrPitseleh (Oct 18, 2010)

I'll definitly post some pictures I like how they don't fly and with how small they are they probably cant move to fast to Escape if I bring them out. That's a sad story Peter one of those things I'd regret and never forget.  Anyone know what happens if you get bit or whatever by these guys sounds pretty nasty when it comes to other bugs.


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## PeterF (Oct 20, 2010)

I don't know about this specific species. But I understood the bite can be quite painful.

The eff clusters are also really neat looking.


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## MrPitseleh (Oct 23, 2010)

I've found yet another zelus!  All three were found at my three different porch lights. :lol: This newest one looked bigger all around but when I went to compare it with the other two it was the same size as the one of them but not the other and this is really weird cause the first two I looked at quite a bit and they were the same size now one is bigger than the other but there is no molt in the container. :huh: The smaller one also has more red on the abdomen. I'd post pictures but the camera I use isn't actually mine and the owner is out of town for a bit. So does anyone have any idea how to tell age or anything so I know if I should try and put them together to mate, I'm guessing it could be dangerous from what Peter Clausen said.


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## PeterF (Oct 23, 2010)

Guessing that the smaller one with more red is not an adult.


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## Peter Clausen (Oct 29, 2010)

Only adults have wings...and mate.


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## MrPitseleh (Oct 29, 2010)

Peter Clausen said:


> Only adults have wings...and mate.


Do all species have wings though? I actually just found another last night which now makes one assassin bug found on Each side of my house, guess I'm surrounded by these guys but I can't find any mantids or their eggs. This new one is just like the two big ones and that small one isn't getting bigger.


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## Peter Clausen (Oct 30, 2010)

Sometimes bugs have wings that don't look like wings, but I'm pretty sure that all adult assassin bugs have wings. Most people go through life not knowing that earwigs can fly (or caring).


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## Orin (Oct 30, 2010)

Peter J F said:


> I don't know about this specific species. But I understood the bite can be quite painful.


I've been bitten by Zelus and the bite is pretty wimpy. It's the Platymeris bite that is reported very painful.


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## Peter Clausen (Oct 31, 2010)

Just uploaded a wheel bug video I took last week:

(bump it up from 360 to 480 picture quality)


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## PeterF (Oct 31, 2010)

Nice, I really do need me some of those.

I was talking to one of the grad students about my thought of going on an egg hunt. She suggested the possibility that they might have preferred host plants. That is, that they might seek out certain plants at certain times of the year for specific prey that are numerous on that plant at that time in the right size. And that then the eggs should be expected on either the fall host or spring nymph host.

I'm a little dodgy on the whole idea. But I thought I would ask because info like that is the only chance I have of collecting eggs.


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## Peter Clausen (Oct 31, 2010)

I think that is a worthy idea. Even if you don't find the target organism, you're sure to find other intersting things.


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## PhilinYuma (Oct 31, 2010)

Peter Clausen said:


> I think that is a worthy idea. Even if you don't find the target organism, you're sure to find other intersting things.


+1


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## Pet Duck Boy (Nov 1, 2010)

I'm not sure about this species, but the couple I had laid eggs that needed over a year to hatch. For someone as impatient as me I couldn't take it, and sold the adults and eggs off. Kinda wish I didn't though since I haven't seen asassins for sale in my area in a LONG time. (Never seen one wild before, either)


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## MrPitseleh (Nov 1, 2010)

Myrmecologist said:


> I'm not sure about this species, but the couple I had laid eggs that needed over a year to hatch. For someone as impatient as me I couldn't take it, and sold the adults and eggs off. Kinda wish I didn't though since I haven't seen asassins for sale in my area in a LONG time. (Never seen one wild before, either)


Over a year to hatch!? Well that probably Explains why I never saw hardly any then caught four right in my yard. I'll most likely wait until these are gone then stick to mantids they're more interesting. Though these assassin bugs are crazy Easy to take care of. I just keep them in these small cylinder containers about 175 ml in size and when they kill a bug I tip them upside down over the trash can and the body not holding on falls in the the trash and I then catch more bugs by my porch light, ones to small to feed to my mantids anyway.


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## MrPitseleh (Nov 11, 2010)

I found yet another one, this one is really tiny and I think the others are getting bigger but it's hard to tell when I see them Everyday and they're so small. Sense they seem to be growing but I haven't seen any old molts I'm guessing they don't actually grow that way. I took in the tiny one I found Even though I need the container he's in and I don't really want another one just cause I felt bad leaving him out in the cold and he looks so helpless Especially sense when I found him he was caught in a web. I haven't seen any wings on them but the other day I caught a weird adult bug that I had seen a couple of as babies and it had wings that were really clear and flat against its back so I couldn't see them until I released it in my mantid Enclosure and it flew around. I'm hoping they assassins are like that so I'll be able to mate them.


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