THIS POST IS NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH!!
This is a Flower Assassin (Rhinocoris segmentarius) and is just over an inch in length. They hunt bees and other prey from exposed sunny positions on vegetation and flowers. They can deliver a painful bite that produces numbness, nausea and general welts to humans. A paste of bicarbonate of soda relieves the symptoms which can last for months.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9v2HIUJDebQvSBInqfEWnUdjB-ucTEYds6jV6ajTNT6VKR3M-DNYwsw5xQZsn2t4D8MdJfGKWeJTdKyVWAFj73kHxf8ZU2mjMYsi_jFsxh1nTikBoYVboUMHVvhXERJT0KB1YiXJpHmD9/s320/1_101_4108a.jpg)
As some of you already know, I have a small fish tank which I have filled with sand in order to put some species in which I catch and can then take photographs documenting developments. I had caught this assassin bug and put him into it and then collected some beetles which I wanted to take pics of too. Without thinking of it, I put the beetle into the tank and this assassin bug jumped on it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZVS6W8eGz32vpqEYvxoT772U-aTUvpcXzDGzfYXB-pa_wzDvzSJHlhMIMkvHYq4H2Fal6xj6_1ptBRDz5Pl3hKgToJNRfs_DTdM-KKFqr6xfzNrmEZ_QMfQ8Zs9-mKPgcfdPI35XzAZt/s320/2_101_4117a.jpg)
Within seconds, the beetle was dead.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesg_Gbchn_or7XHn2DVN_XzB5E0MsTeRd14BUh4Qd42qk5K68bNR3ocks2rpRLO-_Le9Ur3GlWft1oVf-X2nMI1Iy66T2lrEskCB5WHsuhqvOaTU0ADZ6QbvoHLXved4ykdQK7EuEjq9_/s320/3_101_4123a.jpg)
He then proceeded to turn the beetle over and inserted its tongue inbetween the scales on the bottom of the beetle.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4XM0fklhSwS83kV7wuaJ2BKZXF03tmwLTXggJTf_HpaRU78d4OzNBJzUHpVJxR0goR4-r8vVdepozTChYo4wb6qY7KR215VSB8EODdU7LyMgoXBu2Fk-lERGdlAcBaXuWkLxO92tgDDx/s320/4_101_4137a.jpg)
All assassin bugs suck out the insides of their prey and leave only the shell.
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