found assasin in my cacti area

[mitchnast]

seems to be well fed on indian moths, spiders, fungus gnats and so on
i have hundreds of cactus, most i grow from seed.
i moved everything closer to the light to keep the cacti from etoliating (its winter here outside but its not cold enough yet to get dormancy temps in the basement)
and this guy has been sitting high on columnars and grafted tips keeping a watch over everything.

any idea on species?

 

[mitchnast]

I'm thinking Leptoglossus occidentalis

eh eh?

 

[Acro]

I am pretty sure that is some sort of leaf footed bug. A true insect that feeds off of plant juices. The antenna and (from what I can see of) the mouth parts dont look like those of assassin bugs.

 

[Choobaine]

it has the wing pattern of some little stink bugs around here but I can give little else than that... it's cute though. I dunno I'm preoccupied with all bugs being cute.

 

[mitchnast]

a plant sucker eh? then he dies tonite!
hmm, maybe tarantula food

 

[Choobaine]

Aww no don't! it's such a cutie! I suppose I'd do the same but.. but.. it looks fluffy! If you are make it the most dramatic gory death you can! If he's going down he's going down in style...!

 

[Acro]

At least wait till some others give their thoughts before you bump the little bugger! You can also check www.WhatsThatBug.com and maybe ID it yourself.

Either way, let us know what you end up doing.

 

[spydrhunter1]

Definitely a Coreidae (plant feeder), but I'd think twice before making it tarantula food. Remember these guys have a stout proboscis and many put off noxious chemical defenses.

 

[lucanidae]

Definitely a Coreidae (plant feeder), but I'd think twice before making it tarantula food. Remember these guys have a stout proboscis and many put off noxious chemical defenses.

Agreed. Try picking it up and smelling it, Coreidae tend to smell like atrificial sour apple.

 

[thedude]

alot of plant feeders devolpe chemicals that they secret like an oil and thats what makes em smell so bad when you disturb them, but i made the mistake of rubbing around my mouth after words and my lips got really swollen (think what that would do to a bird's throat?) and im sure that it could hurt a tarantula aswell

 

[Choobaine]

I used to eat the giant rasberries in Russia in my alotment I found occasionally one tasted quite nasty in every few - it was things like those. But I admit I've got quite the taste for them now...

 

[thedude]

Choo, what havent you eaten yet?

 

[Choobaine]

scorpion and blue ringed octopus?

I know I post in every thread "I've eaten that" but it's a knee jerk reaction from all the food orientated thoughts induced by delicious invert meals...

 

[thedude]

lol... nice

 

[froggyman]

that catci looks kinda like a peyote......

 

[thedude]

that catci looks kinda like a peyote......

lol....

 

[mitchnast]

I've got the bug in a container, if anyone wants it i will gladly ship it to them provided I'm not violating any laws to do so.

and why yes, you're right, it does resemble a peyote doesn't it.

i guess these particular bugs only suck on conifers. so i let it live, but I'm not letting it wander about. last thing i need is it sucking on my cacti and having a shamanic experience then starting some bug cult in my basement with a bunch of hippie cockroaches

 

[thedude]

last thing i need is it sucking on my cacti and having a shamanic experience then starting some bug cult in my basement with a bunch of hippie cockroaches

lol! that was good

 

[Black Widow88]

Aww no don't! it's such a cutie! I suppose I'd do the same but.. but.. it looks fluffy! If you are make it the most dramatic gory death you can! If he's going down he's going down in style...!

Amen. But seriously just let him go. And I these because they're such cuties!

The antenna (from what I can see) and the mouth parts don't look like those of assassin bugs.

And the legs! Leaf footed bugs are name so because of the leafy like projections on their hind legs. As to what species I think you might want to check out this if it this was found in the USA or Canada.

Good luck and keep us posted on the little cutie! Hope you find out what species it is.

Black Widow88