What IS this basement bug??? (not my basement!:)

[Rochelle]

I hope these pics are clear enough...a friend brought this to us last night - wondering WTH it is....he found it on a wall in his basement. It's very cool; kinda frantic and it took forever to get these photos. The damned thing wouldn't hold still...lolol It's very small. About the size of a child's pinkie nail...(less than dime sized - all spread out)
Anybody got a clue? It's very spider-like, but only has 6 legs, and looks like it has covered itself with debris......:?

 

[Ted]

99.9% sure its a masked hunter.
very cool!

 

[cacoseraph]

i think it is part of the dust bunny food web

 

[Rochelle]

i think it is part of the dust bunny food web

I KNEW it!!!
Our friend is a bachelor -- and that explains EVERYthing...LMFAO.

Now WTF is a "Masked Hunter"? More info, pleeeeeze.

 

[beetleman]

I KNEW it!!!
Our friend is a bachelor -- and that explains EVERYthing...LMFAO.

Now WTF is a "Masked Hunter"? More info, pleeeeeze.

it's an assassin bug,family reduviidae, it covers itself w/junk to camaflauge itself for hunting insects,people,kittens etc.lol just insects it can bite so i wouldn't wanna pic it up,very cool bug,hope this helps alittle.

 

[Rochelle]

SWEET! How do we keep it? What does it eat? How long will it live?
ANY info is more than I already have...!

 

[eelnoob]

awesome bug, how big it is?

 

[crotaline]

It is Reduvius personatus. They prey on other insects. They reach about 1" as adults. The adults are black, have wings, and do not cover themselves like the nymphs.

 

[Rochelle]

Will the adults fly, then? Can I feed it B.dubia nymphs? Do you know the life cycle and how long it lasts? Do they hibernate?
Looks like I need to hit up the ole Google!
Thanks for the Latin name!!!!!

 

[Ted]

Will the adults fly, then? Can I feed it B.dubia nymphs? Do you know the life cycle and how long it lasts? Do they hibernate?
Looks like I need to hit up the ole Google!
Thanks for the Latin name!!!!!

they can fly, bite like hell, and am not sure about the life cycle on them.
i dont know what a dubia nymph is, but i'm sure you can feed them pretty much any insect [appropriately sized]for food.
they are superior hunters and efficient predators.

 

[thedude]

are they pathenogenic like the bigger spp or do they have to mate to make babies?

 

[Ted]

are they pathenogenic like the bigger spp or do they have to mate to make babies?

i think its a mating ssp.

 

[Rochelle]

Thanks guys!!! :clap:

 

[cacoseraph]

this would be SWEET if you could culture it! i have wanted assassins for a long time but am loathe to get exotic species if it can lose me my whole collection

plus... that is just too funny.

 

[Rochelle]

LOLOLOL!!! Not too sure how exotic a basement in Michigan is....? Seems pretty plain, here. Unless you get REAL drunk and see pink elephants, or something...THAT would be exotic.! If anyone wants this thing...PM me. Otherwise I'm gonna have to let it go, for lack of knowledge on how to keep it properly.

 

[John Apple]

oddly enough these guys love bedbugs and smaller true bugs. At least that is what I read.
We have them every now and then in my basement

 

[STAR105.7]

hay!

Mom you forgot to tell them that I'm the one who had to catch the dang thing (It wasn't easy)

 

[Le Wasp]

masked hunter? wow, that has got to be the most ninja insect ever. It looks like someone hot glued a bunch of dirt to the poor guy