Young assassin bugs are often ant mimics. This is a first-instar wheel bug, Arilus cristatus.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
This assassin bug nymph (Reduviidae: Emesinae) hunts spiders in their webs.

Armenia, Belize
Assassin bug nymph (Reduviidae: Emesinae)

Armenia, Belize
Triatoma sanguisuga, the eastern bloodsucking conenose.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
The friendly face of Triatoma sanguisuga, the eastern bloodsucking conenose, showing  the three-segmented beak it uses to bleed its victims.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
Triatoma sanguisuga, the eastern bloodsucking conenose, with a dime for scale.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
A tiny frit fly (Chloropidae: Conioscinella) steals a bit of hemolymph from the kill of an assassin bug (Reduviidae: Sinea).

East Brooklyn, Illinois, USA
Frit flies (Chloropidae: Conioscinella) steal hemolymph from the kill of a spined assassin bug (Reduviidae: Sinea).

East Brooklyn, Illinois, USA
Triatoma sanguisuga, the eastern bloodsucking conenose.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
Triatoma sanguisuga, the eastern bloodsucking conenose.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
Triatoma sanguisuga, the eastern bloodsucking conenose.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
Triatoma sanguisuga, the eastern bloodsucking conenose.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013