Bee-assassin
Guides
Apiomerus
Bee Assassins, Bee Assassin Bugs
Apiomerus is a genus of brightly colored, conspicuous assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as bee assassins. The genus contains approximately 110 described species and represents the largest clade within the monophyletic tribe Apiomerini. Members are characterized by their use of plant resin as 'sticky traps' to capture prey, a trait unique among assassin bugs. Females possess specialized tibial combs for resin collection and application onto egg masses, providing maternal care. The genus exhibits significant sexual dimorphism and extreme diversity in genital morphology, hypothesized to result from sexual selection driving speciation.
Apiomerus californicus
California Bee Assassin
Apiomerus californicus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Berniker and Szerlip in 2011. It belongs to the Apiomerini tribe, commonly known as bee assassins, which are specialized predators of bees and other pollinators. The species is found in western North America, particularly in California and surrounding regions.
Apiomerus cazieri
Desert Bee Assassin
Apiomerus cazieri is a species of assassin bug (family Reduviidae) endemic to the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The species was described in 2011 and is commonly known as the Desert Bee Assassin. It is an active predator with documented prey including the checkered beetle Trichodes ornatus and honey bees (Apis mellifera). The species belongs to the genus Apiomerus, whose members are frequently observed hunting on flowers where they ambush pollinators.
Apiomerus immundus
Apiomerus immundus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, described by Bergroth in 1898. The genus Apiomerus, commonly known as "bee assassins" or "bee killers," comprises exclusively New World species that are ambush predators. Most Apiomerus species are characterized by their habit of perching on flowers to capture visiting bees and other insects. The specific epithet "immundus" (Latin for "unclean" or "dirty") may allude to the debris-accumulating behavior observed in related species.
Apiomerus spissipes
Plains Bee Assassin
Apiomerus spissipes is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as the Plains Bee Assassin. It ranges broadly across the Great Plains of North America and is replaced further east by the closely related but generally darker A. crassipes. The species is known for its habit of ambushing pollinators on flowers, particularly bees, though it will prey on other insects as well. Its coloration has been observed to include pale ventral surfaces with black front and hind margins.