For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Cotton-stainer Assassin (Dysdercus nigrofasiatus) Pyrrhocoridae

Assassin bugs are ambush predators that move slowly towards their prey before rushing out and grabbing with the forelegs, injecting a secretion from the rostrum that has a quick paralytic action. The prey is then sucked dry. The bite is very painful to humans.

They are large, about 1 inch, in length.
The eggs are laid in a ring around a plant stem.
Will the real Cotton-Stainer please stand up. :)

1 comment:

bayucca said...

I think this one is a Pyrrhocoridae, Dysdercus sp., not the mimic Reduviidae.