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Assassin Bug


Assassin Bug
Photo Information
Copyright: Jose Ramon Pato (JORAPAVI) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 684 W: 0 N: 1522] (10085)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-18
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 20D, Sigma 150mm F2.8 APO Macro DG HSM
Exposure: f/13.0, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-05-01 5:45
Viewed: 561
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Spanish]
Assassin Bug

class - Insecta
order - Hemiptera
sub-order - Heteroptera
family - Reduviidae

Facts
Nearly 3000 species of assassin bugs exist and scientists feel that many more will be discovered. These insects can be commonly found throughout most of the world. They vary in size from a few millimeters to as much as 3 or 4 centimeters. They come in many colors and shapes and most species have two pairs of wings. However, ALL assassin bugs have a powerful, curved rostrum, or beak, that they use to pierce and suck out the tissues of their prey.

The assassin bug uses its rostrum to
pierce, then suck the insides from the ant.

Assassin bugs feed by external digestion, which means that they push their beak into their victims body and inject a very toxic, or poisonous, liquid that affects the nerves and liquifies the muscles and tissues of their prey. Most other insects that eat like this have two tubes in their beak; one for injecting the fluid and one for sucking in their food. But assassin bugs have only one large tube that does both jobs. This larger tube allows them to inject a larger amount of the toxic digestive fluid so that prey many times their size can be quickly overcome. Once the insides of the prey are turned into a liquid, the assassin bug uses its rostrum to suck out the liquified tissues in much the same way we use a straw to drink a milkshake!

Assassin bugs get their name because of the speed that they have to grab and poison their prey. They are carnivorous, or meat eaters, and use their powerful, jack-knife forelegs to grab their prey. They have sticky pads on these front legs, made up of thousands of tiny hairs, that stick to their victims and keep them from getting away. Some assassin bugs actively hunt their prey, while others patiently wait until their prey comes close enough to grab.

The saliva of the assassin bug starts to work almost immediately. Cockroaches have been seen to die in only 3 or 4 seconds, and caterpillars more than 400 times their weight can die in only 10 seconds! A feast this size can last for days or even weeks.
Photo credit - Oregon State Entomology Dept.
These assassin bugs have made a meal of this much larger moth caterpillar.

Not all assasin bugs feed on insects and other invertebrates. Some tropical species attack mammals, birds, and reptiles and actually suck their blood!

LIFE CYCLE:
Most assasin bugs lay their eggs in the autumn in cracks and crevices that contain lots of leaves. The eggs hatch in the following spring and the nymphs look very much like the adults, except thry are smaller. Assassin bugs go through incomplete metamorphosis (egg-nymph-adult). After hatching from the egg, the nymph passes through five instars (growth stages). The nymph molts at the end of each instar, becoming an adult after the final molt. Adults often are the stage that live through the winter, and they begin a new generation in the spring.

This insect preys on other insects and benefits people because they help reduce populations of certain pest species. But assassin bugs themself are preyed on by many enemies, especially birds and reptiles. Some species have developed a unique defense where they use their beak to squirt their venom at their attacker as far as a foot away! Their saliva can cause severe irritation of the eyes and nose and even temporary blindness in humans!

Extracted information of
HERE
ramthakur, sandpiper2, clnaef, batu, marmottelolo, Silvio2006, Argus, Necipp, haraprasan has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

selam jose; wery good close up shot . really lovely colours, sharpness and details are wonderful! Excellent POV and pose. ! Thank you for sharing,
ridvan

¡Quién lo diría...! Tan pequeño y tan "malo".
Como siempre te ha quedado estupendo. Buenos detalles, la nitidez, la luz...
Genial José Ramón.
Hasta luego amigo, JL.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1874 W: 245 N: 6145] (21884)
  • [2007-05-01 5:51]

Hi Jose,
these bugs are just plain evil!
Very good macro shot with detail and quality.
Well done,
Joey

An exceptionally sharp and clear macro of the Asassin Bug, Jose.
The composition with the vegetation it is perched on is highly satisfying aesthetically.
Regards.

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2340] (8406)
  • [2007-05-01 6:31]

Hola José Ramón,
Impresionante macro, muy original y atractiva. Los motivos y la composición cautivan.
Saludos, José M.

I like the composition Jose.
Good sharpness and the bug stands out well with the neutral background.
Chris

Bonjour,
On aurait pu croire que la sauterelle avait pondu une semence.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1028 W: 285 N: 3429] (11374)
  • [2007-05-01 8:34]

Hola Jose,
a nice composition: the bug and the old Taraxacum against the blue-grey background. The beautiful light and the fine details of the bug and its environment result in an attractive picture.
Best wishes, Peter

Hi Jose Ramon, an other splendid macro, sharpness, dedtails, light, colors, exposure all is ok, very well done, bravo, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 147 N: 7948] (24747)
  • [2007-05-01 14:39]

Hola José Ramón,
Fine close macro of an Assasin Bug, with good detail showing its sucking proboscis and set in a pleasing compo. with fine contrasting neutral BG.
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2102 W: 6 N: 2113] (13565)
  • [2007-05-01 17:55]

Hola José,
vaya con el bichito...
buena macro amigo,
los detalles excelentes,
colores y la iluminación, perfecta, saludos

bonjour josé ramon
je ne prend pas souvent le temps de traduire les notes en anglais,mais la j'ai été intrigué par la tres petite taille de cet insecte a coté de la graine de pissenlit et je doit avouer que c'etait tres instructif.bravo et merci;
laurent

Amazing shot Jose I see from the size of the dandelion seed how close this is and good detail too very well done tfs rgds Necip

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