spined assassin bug

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Spined assassin bug is one of the most common assassin bugs (Family Reduviidae) in North America. It occurs from coast to coast in the United States, northern Mexico, and southern Canada. It is common and abundant in Minnesota. It is found in open sunny areas on grasses and herbaceous plants.

Adults are dark brown, soft-bodied, oval, and ½″ to 9 ⁄16″ long.

The head is small, elongated, and covered with spines. It is narrow when viewed from above, much narrower than the thorax, and oval when viewed from the side. The neck is long and turtle-like. There are two large, bulging, reddish-brown, compound eyes and two small simple eyes (ocelli). Between the compound eyes there is a distinct crosswise (transverse) groove. The antennae are exposed, conspicuous, slender, and long, much longer than the head but not as long as the body. They have four segments. The mouth parts are optimized for piercing and sucking, and take the form of a thick, curved, 3-segmented beak. The beak is longer than the head and fits into a groove on the underside of the sternum when not in use.

The exoskeletal plate covering the thorax has two lobes. The front lobe is covered with long spines, the rear lobe is not. The abdomen is flat and much wider than the thorax. The sides of the abdomen are greatly expanded. On the expanded portion, there is a pale spot at the rear margin of each segment. On the female, the outer margin of the abdomen is wavy (undulate) with more or less angular lobes. On the male, the margin may be very prominently undulate or almost unlobed.

There are two pairs of wings, and they are held flat over the body when at rest. Between and at the wing bases there is a triangular plate (scutellum). The forewings (hemelytra) on the mature adult are longer than the abdomen but do not cover the expanded sides of the abdomen. They have a thickened section at the base and a thin membranous section at the tip with a clear dividing line between the two. The thickened basal part is comprised of a narrow area (clavus) behind the scutellum when the wings are closed, and the remaining broad marginal area (corium). At the end of the corium there is a small but distinct triangular area (cuneus). There are no obvious short veins at the outer margin of the membranous section. The hindwings are thin, membranous, and concealed under the forewings.

The legs are long and gangly. The third segment (femur) on the front leg is thickened and is covered with long spines above. The end part of the leg, corresponding to the foot, (tarsus) has 3 segments.

The nymph resembles the adult but has no wings.

Total length: ½″ to 9 ⁄16″

Grasslands, fields, gardens

Two generations per year. Late May to mid-July and early September to early October

The female lays about 361 eggs in small clusters of usually about 11 but up to 27. The eggs are cylinder-shaped with curved sides, a flared collar, and a cap at the top. They are deposited upright, usually arranged in two rows, on a leaf or in the soil. There are two generation per year. First stage (instar) nymphs of the first generation emerge in mid- to late April. Nymphs are found from mid-April to mid-September. They pass through five stages (instars) before emerging as adults. Adults emerge in late May and are active until mid-July. Second generation adults are active from early September to early October. Second generation eggs overwinter.

A wide variety of insects, including flies, bees, and caterpillars

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

Common and abundant

Location: near Houston, MN

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota