The most common and readily recognizable assassin is the wheel bug. When scouting your landscape for hungry helpmates, consider these clarifications to know what is-and isn’t-an assassin bug. With so many kinds of assassin bugs, they are often confused with other invertebrates that are not a gardener’s friend. Photo: Identifying Species of Assassin Bugs If you’re wondering if assassin or kissing bugs are present in your garden, here are some of their most identifiable characteristics: No wonder experienced gardeners view them as friends, especially those who take a natural approach and like to limit their use of pesticides. What’s more, kissing bugs actively hunt their prey, patrolling trees, bushes, and other vegetation for victims. They also use this beak to defend themselves from predators.Īssassin bugs of the Reduviidae family are also sometimes familiarly referred to as kissing bugs-and for their prey, it’s the kiss of death! They devour the likes of destructive aphids, leafhoppers, and caterpillars, and can even consume insects larger than themselves.
An assassin bug will spear its victim, inject lethal venom or digestive juices to kill it, and then suck on the prey to feed. North America, and more than 3,000 worldwide, they all share one notable characteristic: a curved, dagger-like mouthpart known as a rostrum or proboscis, which is used to kill prey.
