A Greta oto glass-winged butterfly uses its straw-like proboscis to drink nectar.

Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, Belize
A tropical daniine butterfly, Tithorea sp., feeds from a milkweed.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
Face to face with a wheel bug, Arilus cristatus (Reduviidae).

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Arilus cristatus, the wheel bug, is a predatory insect common in the eastern United States.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Arilus cristatus, the wheel bug.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Cimex lectularius bed bug taking a blood meal.

Chicago, Illinois, USA
A bed bug nymph probes for a good feeding spot.  Note the flattened shape of the bug that allows it to fit into tight hideaways during the day.

Chicago, Illinois, USA
Cimex lectularius adult feeding.  Notice how the labium (the sheath surrounding the stylets) folds back to allow the bedbug's piercing/sucking mouthparts to sink deeper into the victim's skin.  

Chicago, Illinois, USA
Cimex lectularius bed bug nymph taking a blood meal. 

Chicago, Illinois, USA
A Greta oto glass-winged butterfly uses its straw-like proboscis to drink nectar.

Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, Belize
A Greta oto glass-winged butterfly uses its straw-like proboscis to drink nectar.

Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, Belize
A Greta oto glass-winged butterfly uses its straw-like proboscis to drink nectar.

Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, Belize
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013