Flower-ambush-predator
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 flaviventris
Yellow-bellied Bee Assassin, bee assassin bug
Apiomerus flaviventris is a predatory assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as the yellow-bellied bee assassin. This species is notable for its specialized feeding habits targeting bees and its remarkable use of plant-derived chemical defenses. Females collect resin from brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) and apply it to their eggs as a protective barrier against predation, particularly by ants. The species inhabits arid and semiarid regions of southwestern North America.