Mating Wheel Bugs also Assassin Bug Arilus cristatus
The Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), in the family Reduviidae, is one of the largest terrestrial true bugs in North America, being up to inches, or 38 mm, in length; it is the only member of its genus. A characteristic structure is the wheel-shaped pronotal armour. They are predators upon soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars, japanese beetles, etc., which they pierce with their beak in order to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue. Because most of their prey are pests, wheel bugs are considered beneficial insects, although they can inflict a painful bite if handled carelessly. Wheel bugs are common in eastern North America, although many people in the region have never seen them. They are camouflaged and very shy, hiding whenever possible. They have membranous wings, allowing for clumsy, noisy flight which can easily be mistaken for the flight of a large grasshopper. The adult is gray to brownish gray in color and black shortly after molting, but the nymphs (which do not yet have the wheel-shaped structure) have bright red or orange abdomens. The wheel bug has characteristic dorsal armor, shaped like a wheel or cog. It was compared by the Hilton Pond Center to a robot, due to this structure as well as its front legs, which extend in jerky motions. This insect is considered one of the largest true bugs in existence. It moves and flies slowly, and in flight produces a buzzing sound. It has one of the most developed mouth parts among true bugs. Its beak arises from the anterior end of its long, tubular head and unfolds forward. The bug plunges its beak into its victim, pinning its prey with its front legs. It then injects enzymes into the victim, paralyzing it and dissolving its insides, and proceeds to drain all of the victim's bodily fluids. The bite of a wheel bug is painful and may take months to heal (sometimes leaving a small scar), so caution is advised when handling them.
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Photo credit: © Phil Degginger / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: arilus, assassin, beak, bug, bugs, cristatus, heteroptera, insect, insects, mating, predatory, proboscis, segmented, wheel
