Assassin bug facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Assassin bug |
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| Reduvius, a typical assassin bug | |
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Cimicomorpha
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Reduviidae
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Assassin bugs are a big family of "true bugs" called Reduviidae. You can find them all over the world. They are mostly hunters that wait for their prey on land.
Most assassin bugs are easy to spot. They have a thin neck, a strong body, and a special curved mouthpart called a proboscis. If you see a large one, it's best not to touch it. They can defend themselves with a very painful stab from their proboscis.
What do assassin bugs look like?
Adult assassin bugs can be from about 4 millimeters (like a tiny ant) to 40 millimeters (about the size of your thumb) long. Their size depends on the specific type. They usually have a long head with a clear, narrow "neck." They also have long legs and a noticeable, segmented mouthpart called a proboscis. Many species are brightly colored, with shades of brown, black, red, or orange.
A special thing about assassin bugs is how they make sounds. They can rub the tip of their proboscis in a groove on their chest. This rubbing creates a sound, like a tiny violin. They do this to scare away animals that might try to eat them. If they are still bothered, many kinds of assassin bugs can give a painful stab with their proboscis. They inject a special liquid that can hurt a lot.
How do assassin bugs eat?
Predatory assassin bugs use their long proboscis to inject a deadly saliva into their prey. This saliva turns the inside of the prey into liquid. Then, the bug sucks out the liquid. This process is called "extraoral digestion." Their saliva is often strong enough to kill prey much bigger than the bug itself.
Some assassin bugs have legs covered in tiny hairs. These hairs help them hold onto their prey while they are eating. Other types, like the ones in the Phymatinae group, have front legs that look like a praying mantis. They catch and hold their prey in a similar way.
When they are young (called nymphs), some assassin bugs cover themselves with dirt or pieces of dead insects. This helps them camouflage themselves so they can hide. For example, the nymphs of Acanthaspis pedestris in India do this. Another famous example is Reduvius personatus, also known as the masked hunter. It covers itself with dust to hide.
Some kinds of assassin bugs are helpful because they eat pests like cockroaches or bedbugs. People in some areas like to have them around for pest control. Reduvius personatus is one such bug, and some people even keep them as pets.
Different types of assassin bugs hunt different kinds of prey. For example, Ectrichodiinae bugs eat millipedes. Feather-legged bugs (Holoptilinae) eat ants. A cool example is Ptilocnemus lemur from Australia. The adult bug hunts and eats ants. But the young nymph waits for an ant to bite the feathery tufts on its back legs. When the ant bites, the nymph quickly turns around and stabs the ant's head with its proboscis, then eats it.
Some assassin bugs are not predators. Instead, they drink blood, which is not good for humans. Triatoma species and other bugs like Rhodnius species are known as kissing bugs. They often bite sleeping humans around the lips and eyes. A more serious problem is that some of these blood-feeding bugs in Central and South America can spread a dangerous illness called Chagas disease.
Images for kids
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Arilus cristatus egg mass
See also
In Spanish: Chinches asesinas para niños
