jagged ambush bugs
(Phymata spp.)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview |
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Phymata is a genus of ambush bugs known as jagged ambush bugs. There are 109 described species of jagged ambush bugs worldwide, 17 species in North America north of Mexico, and just 2 species in Minnesota. A much needed revision of this genus would probably result in many fewer species. Jagged ambush bugs are found on flowers in open and semi-open areas. The feed on small insects and other arthropods, including bumble bees, wasps, and flies, sometimes capturing prey much larger than themselves. |
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Description |
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Most adults are 5 ⁄16″ to ½″ (8 to 12 mm) in length. They are well camouflaged with dark markings on a greenish-yellow or brownish-yellow ground color. The antennae have four segments and are slightly thickened at the end. The protruding mouthparts (beak) is short, has three segments, and is optimized for sucking. The exoskeletal plate between the wing bases (scutellum) is triangular and much shorter than the plate covering the thorax (pronotum). The abdomen is diamond-shaped, widest toward the rear, and has a flattened, greatly enlarged margin. The hardened forewings (elytra) are held flat when at rest and cover only the middle of the abdomen. leaving the sides exposed. The third segment (femur) of the front legs is swollen with muscles that allow it to seize and hold prey. |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 7/7/2022 | ||||
Taxonomy |
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Order |
Hemiptera (true bugs, hoppers, aphids, and allies) | ||
Suborder |
Heteroptera (true bugs) | ||
Infraorder |
Cimicomorpha | ||
Superfamily |
Reduvioidea | ||
Family |
Reduviidae (assassin bugs) | ||
Subfamily |
Phymatinae (ambush bugs) | ||
Tribe |
Phymatini | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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jagged ambush bug (Phymata americana) jagged ambush bug (Phymata erosa) jagged ambush bug (Phymata fasciata) |
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Synonyms |
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Syrtis |
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Common Names |
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jagged ambush bug |
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Glossary
Beak
On plants: A comparatively short and stout, narrow or prolonged tip on a thickened organ, as on some fruits and seeds. On insects: The protruding, tubular mouthpart of a sucking insect.
Femur
On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.
Pronotum
The exoskeletal plate on the upper side of the first segment of the thorax of an insect.
Scutellum
The exoskeletal plate covering the rearward (posterior) part of the middle segment of the thorax in some insects. In Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Homoptera, the dorsal, often triangular plate behind the pronotum and between the bases of the front wings. In Diptera, the exoskeletal plate between the abdomen and the thorax.
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Joyce Kunath |
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Alfredo Colon |
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Seirra Quinn |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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| Jagged Ambush Bug (Reduviidae: Phymata) Feeding on Bumble Bee Carl Barrentine |
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About
Aug 20, 2010 Ambush Bugs are amazing predators! This patient female Phymata has caught and subdued a Tricolored Bumble Bee, a prey item that is clearly several times larger than itself. Photographed at the Kellys Slough NWR, North Dakota (19 August 2010). Go here to learn more about this unique insect: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/Galveston/beneficials/beneficial-10_jagged_ambush_bug_(Phymata_sp.).htm |
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| AMBUSH BUG Phymata, unmoved by sweet nothings Rob Curtis |
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About
Sep 29, 2019 Phymata AMBUSH BUG mating pair, unmoved by sweet nothings murmured. Montrose Point, Chicago, 9/7/2019. |
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| Jagged Ambush Bug (Reduviidae: Phymata) Male and Female Carl Barrentine |
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About
Aug 1, 2010 Photographed at Kelly Slough NWR, North Dakota (31 July 2010). |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this insect. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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Joyce Kunath |
Location: Woodstock, IL |
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Alfredo Colon |
Location: Albany, NY |
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| Alfredo Colon 8/15/2022 |
Location: Albany, NY |
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| Seirra Quinn 7/5/2022 |
Location: Eden Valley, Meeker County |
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| Alfredo Colon 8/2/2019 |
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 10/23/2020
Last Updated: