Arboreal-insects
Guides
Zelus
sundew assassin bugs, milkweed assassin bugs, leafhopper assassin bugs
Zelus is a genus of assassin bugs (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) containing approximately 60 described species, with the majority distributed in Central and South America and five species occurring in North America. The genus is characterized by a distinctive predatory adaptation: the forelegs bear dense hairs coated with a sticky, glue-like secretion produced by specialized glands, enabling prey capture through adhesion rather than force. This 'sticky trap' strategy has earned them the common name 'sundew assassin bugs,' analogous to the carnivorous sundew plants. The genus includes notable species such as Zelus longipes (milkweed assassin bug), Z. luridus, Z. renardii (leafhopper assassin bug), and Z. tetracanthus.