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Reduviidae is a family of predatory insects in the suborder Heteroptera. It includes assassin bugs and wheel bugs (genera include Arilus, Melanolestes, Psellipus, Reduvius, Rhiginia, Sinea, Triatoma, and Zelus), ambush bugs (genera include Apiomerus and Phymata), and thread-legged bugs (the subfamily Emesinae, including the genus Emesaya).
Some blood-sucking reduviidae are also known as kissing bugs.
Physical characteristics
There are more than 150 species in North America alone, with species existing all over the world. Adult bugs often range from 0.5 to 1.5 inches (11 to 33 mm). It has an elongated head with a distinct narrowed neck, thick forewings, long legs, and a segmented beak. Most species are dark in color with hues of brown, black, red, or orange.
Feeding
It uses its long proboscis to inject a lethal toxin that liquefies the insides of its prey. It then sucks out the liquefied remains. The legs of these bugs are covered in tiny hairs that serve to make them sticky to hold onto their prey while it feeds. The venom is effective for even larger insects. Some species are also able to spit their venom at the eyes of predators from up to a foot away. As nymphs, many species will cover and camouflage themselves with the remains of dead prey insects.
They have been known to feed on cockroaches and are regarded in many locations as beneficial. Some people breed them as pets and for insect control.
Human contact
The assassin bug has been known to bite humans when not handled carefully. For some species the bite is known to be very painful, sometimes with effects lasting up to four months, at times causing allergic reactions. Repeated bites can cause increasingly bad reactions in humans including shock and death.
Some blood-sucking reduviidae, particularly Triatoma spp. and other members of the subfamily Triatominae, are also known as kissing bugs due to their habit of biting humans in their sleep on the soft tissue of the lips and eyes; about half of these haematophagous species, located in Central and South America are able to transmit a fatal trypanosome disease known as Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis).
External links
- Bolivian assassin bug photos.
"Reduviidae"