Native (US) Assassin Bugs

[Pulk]

Triatoma rubida (Portal, AZ)






unknown (Portal, AZ)






Empicoris sp. (Encinitas, CA)






Rasahus thoracicus (Encinitas, CA)

 

[Arachno Veteran]

Comments & Tips Please?

Hi Guys,

Thank you very much, Pulk, for those pics.
So I got the "Langtry TX" variety of Assassin and Ken threw in a freebie.
I'm a little confused... I guess the "Langtry TX" may be a conenose? I know I should be using the Latin names here... And the freebie looks like a leaf-legged version... But, in any case I'll post the pics & maybe someone can provide some guidance? The pics are just quick & dirty, sorry.

 

[Arachno Veteran]

Continued

*sigh* Having trouble uploading the images
For instance: What should I be feeding this guy? I offered a few drops of honey, a few of pure maple syrup, a couple of small sprigs of Zinnia and Lavender.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Sweet- you found some. I love the flags on the lower legs. Enjoy!

 

[cacoseraph]

the leaf foot might be a leptoglossus

i am kodak bugguiding here, though... so i can only get up to like 50% confidence but...

http://bugguide.net/node/view/158437/bgpage

i am going to google a bit and might edit in more info into this post

L. clypealis can be found in TX, apparently.
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~sjtaylor/coreidae/Leptoglossus_clypealis.html
ah, easy to check this species
link says they have a clypeus extending from the front of their head

it seems like leptoglossus are actual plant vampires, that is, they have to feed from live plants. hope not, that is a bummer for keeping them

 

[Arachno Veteran]

leptoglossus

Yep! That's him! Thanks cacoseraph! you got it -

:worship:

 

[cacoseraph]

oh, i can't believe i forgot for so long!

i really want to keep masked hunters, as well!
http://bugguide.net/node/view/260837/bgimage


i think you could make the nymphs really funny depending on what sub you kept them on









edit:
also, for the leptoglossus... i have seen references to some species eating seeds. i am guessing it is only seeds that are still plugged into their parent plant but you could try non-dried pine nuts. i don't think it will work, though... but if you have some lying around you could always check



edit2:
as for Triatoma vs other reduviids. from what i have googled it is mainly a diffence in the shape of the beak. i was hoping for a more discrete difference, but it is a degree kind of thing apparently :/

bug feeding reduviids have a shorter, stouter beak
http://bugguide.net/node/view/135088/bgimage

Triatoma have a slimmer, more svelte beak
http://bugguide.net/node/view/198863/bgimage
http://entomologia.net/dicciona/triato.jpg
http://www.tulane.edu/~wiser/protozoology/notes/images/triatoma.JPG

i suspect it is one of those things that doesn't look that different to our now untrained eyes, but is actually pretty apparent once you look with proper eyes that see

 

[ZoSoLp510]

i have tried a toad bug, bee assassin, and what was probably a Zelus or Sinea sp.

all failed... wouldn't take the roaches i offered. i want to try again with tiny pinhead crickets and fruit flies

I've kept sinea, melanolestes and of course plat's ... all went pretty wild for wax worms... maybe try them?

P>S> I love those bee assassins! Wish I had them around here

 

[cacoseraph]

heck yeah!

i have seen pics and i believe read that the feed on caterpillars and other worm form bugs in nature, so that makes a lot of sense

plus, it is hard to find a less like, "offensive" feeder than a waxworm

 

[ZoSoLp510]

Yeah man, like I said, every species I've ever kept has gone absolutely ape $**T for them. Let me know how it goes if you ever try them again!

 

[Arachno Veteran]

Wow -

How cool - Finally a forum for Hemiptera / Assassin Bug enthusiasts! Yay!

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