Harpactorinae
Guides
Acholla ampliata
Acholla ampliata is an arboreal assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, distributed across western North America from California to Colorado and south to Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. Adults are most active in autumn, though they can be found from July onward. The species is distinguished from similar assassin bugs by its relatively smooth body lacking prominent leg spines. It preys on caterpillars and other insects associated with trees, including pest species such as the Codling Moth.
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 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.
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 longispinis
Black Bee Assassin
Apiomerus longispinis is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Apiomerus montanus
Mountain Bee Assassin
Apiomerus montanus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as the Mountain Bee Assassin. It belongs to a genus of exclusively New World predatory insects often called 'bee killers' for their habit of ambushing flower-visiting insects. The species was formally described in 2011 during a revision of the crassipes and pictipes species groups of Apiomerus. Like other members of its genus, it is an ambush predator that captures prey using its raptorial forelegs and subdues them with a venomous proboscis.
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.
Atrachelus
Atrachelus is a genus of assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae, comprising at least two described species: A. cinereus and A. mucosus. The genus is found in the Americas and belongs to the subfamily Harpactorinae, a diverse group of predatory true bugs. Species in this genus share the general characteristics of harpactorine assassin bugs but specific diagnostic features remain poorly documented in available literature.
Atrachelus cinereus cinereus
Atrachelus cinereus cinereus is a subspecies of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Fabricius in 1798. It belongs to the subfamily Harpactorinae, a diverse group of predatory true bugs. The genus Atrachelus is part of the Harpactorini tribe, which contains numerous species distributed across the Americas. This subspecies has a broad geographic range spanning North, Central, and South America as well as the Caribbean.
Castolus
Castolus is a genus of assassin bugs (family Reduviidae) comprising approximately 16 described species. Members of this genus belong to the subfamily Harpactorinae, a diverse group of predatory true bugs. The genus was established by Carl Stål in 1858. Like other reduviids, species in this genus are predatory, though specific natural history details for most Castolus species remain poorly documented.
Doldina interjungens
Doldina interjungens is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Bergroth in 1913. It belongs to the subfamily Harpactorinae, one of the largest and most diverse groups within the assassin bugs. The species is recorded from Central America and North America.
Fitchia spinosula
Fitchia spinosula is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Carl Stål in 1872. It belongs to the subfamily Harpactorinae, a diverse group of predatory true bugs. The species is known from North America, with records primarily from the western Nearctic region. Like other reduviids, it is presumed to be predatory, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Heza similis
Heza similis is a species of assassin bug described by Carl Stål in 1859. It belongs to the family Reduviidae, a diverse group of predatory true bugs. The species has a broad distribution spanning the Caribbean Sea, Central America, North America, and South America. As a member of the Harpactorinae subfamily, it likely exhibits the typical assassin bug predatory lifestyle, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.
Pselliopus
orange assassin bugs
Pselliopus is a genus of assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae, subfamily Harpactorinae. The genus contains 27 described species restricted to the New World. Several species, particularly Pselliopus barberi, are noted for their bright orange and black coloration and relatively large size. Members of this genus are predatory insects that have been observed feeding on various arthropod prey including aphids, leafhoppers, and bees. Some species are considered potential biological control agents for pest management.
Pselliopus inermis
Orange assassin bug
Pselliopus inermis is an assassin bug species in the family Reduviidae, native to the Americas. Like other members of its genus, it is a predatory true bug that hunts on flowers and vegetation. The species was described by Champion in 1899 and occurs in Middle America and North America.
Pselliopus latifasciatus
Pselliopus latifasciatus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Barber in 1924. It is found in North America. As a member of the genus Pselliopus, it shares the characteristic orange and black coloration and predatory habits typical of this group of harpactorine assassin bugs. The specific epithet 'latifasciatus' refers to broad bands or stripes, likely describing a distinctive pattern element on this species.
Pselliopus marmorosus
Pselliopus marmorosus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described from Middle America in 2007. Like other members of the genus Pselliopus, it is a predatory true bug characterized by elongated body form and raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. The species name "marmorosus" likely refers to a marbled or mottled coloration pattern. As a harpactorine assassin bug, it employs external digestion, injecting proteolytic enzymes into prey and consuming liquefied tissues.
Pselliopus punctipes
ringed assassin bug
Pselliopus punctipes is a predatory assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as the ringed assassin bug. It is characterized by its long legs, elongated beak, and distinctive ringed coloration pattern on its body. The species is an ambush predator that hunts small insects by stalking and stabbing them with its venom-injecting proboscis. It belongs to a genus of assassin bugs known for their stealthy hunting behavior and importance in natural pest control.
Repipta
Repipta is a genus of assassin bugs (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) established by Stål in 1859. The genus contains at least 25 species, with the majority distributed in the Neotropics and some extending into the Nearctic region. Species in this genus are predatory, with documented life cycles showing five nymphal instars and total development from egg to adult of approximately 2-3 months under laboratory conditions. Two species, R. flavicans and R. taurus, have been studied in detail regarding their immature stages and developmental biology.
Repipta taurus
Red Bull Assassin, red bull assassin bug
Repipta taurus is an assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as the red bull assassin. It is a predatory species with five nymphal instars and a total nymphal development period of approximately 60 days under laboratory conditions. The species is distributed across Central America and North America, with eggs deposited in soil.
Rhynocoris
Flower Assassin Bugs
Rhynocoris is a genus of assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae, subfamily Harpactorinae. Species occur across Asia, mainland Europe, Africa, and North America. The genus exhibits subsocial behavior with parental care of egg masses, a trait that has evolved independently only six times in Heteroptera. Multiple species have been investigated as biological control agents for agricultural pests, particularly in cotton and other crop systems.
Rhynocoris leucospilus
Rhynocoris leucospilus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning Europe, northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. Five subspecies have been recognized, reflecting regional variation across this wide distribution. As a member of the Harpactorinae subfamily, it possesses the raptorial forelegs characteristic of predatory assassin bugs.
Rhynocoris ventralis americanus
Rhynocoris ventralis americanus is a subspecies of assassin bug described by Bergroth in 1897. It is currently recognized as a synonym within the Reduviidae family. The taxon belongs to the harpactorine assassin bugs, a group of predatory true bugs. Very little specific information is documented for this particular subspecies.
Rhynocoris ventralis ventralis
Rhynocoris ventralis ventralis is a subspecies of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, originally described by Thomas Say in 1832. The taxon is currently recognized as a synonym within the genus Rhynocoris, which comprises predatory true bugs. The species Rhynocoris ventralis belongs to the subfamily Harpactorinae, a diverse group of reduviids characterized by raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. This subspecies designation represents one of the infraspecific forms described within the broader R. ventralis complex.
Rocconota
Rocconota is a genus of assassin bugs in the family Reduviidae, subfamily Harpactorinae. The genus was established by Stål in 1859 and contains approximately ten described species, primarily distributed in the Neotropical region. Members of this genus are predatory true bugs, consistent with the biology of the Reduviidae family. The genus name is derived from Greek roots referring to its distinctive tuberculate or spiny morphology.
Rocconota annulicornis
Ring-horned Assassin Bug
Rocconota annulicornis, commonly known as the Ring-horned Assassin Bug, is a species of predatory true bug in the family Reduviidae. It is distributed across North and Central America. The species belongs to the subfamily Harpactorinae, a diverse group of assassin bugs characterized by raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. The specific epithet 'annulicornis' refers to ringed or banded antennae, a distinctive feature of this species.
Sinea complexa
Sinea complexa is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Caudell in 1900. It was long confused with the eastern species Sinea incognita, which was described as new in 2015 based on morphological differences in the front leg femora. The species occurs in western and southwestern North America and Mexico. Like other Sinea species, it is a predatory insect that likely feeds on other arthropods.
Sinea incognita
Sinea incognita is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, described in 2015 after being misidentified as Sinea complexa for over a century. It occurs in the eastern and central United States, from Maryland south to Georgia and west to Kansas and Texas. The species was discovered when specimens from New Mexico failed to match identification keys developed for midwestern Sinea species.
Sinea integra
Sinea integra is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, first described by Stål in 1862. It occurs from Arizona and Texas south through Mexico to at least Guatemala and Honduras. The species can be distinguished from close relatives S. complexa and S. incognita by the shape of the femur on its front legs, which is nearly uniform in thickness—described as resembling a stickball bat—rather than club-shaped or baseball bat-shaped. It is a predatory insect, though specific prey records remain limited.
Sinea rileyi
Sinea rileyi is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae. It has been documented in Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China) and North America. Like other members of the genus Sinea, it is a predatory true bug. Beyond its geographic distribution, specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in available literature.
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.
Zelus janus
Two-faced Assassin
Zelus janus is a species of assassin bug in the genus Zelus, first described by Stål in 1862. Like other members of this genus, it possesses the characteristic 'sundew' predatory adaptation: specialized glands on the forelegs secrete a sticky substance that traps prey. The species name references the Roman two-faced god Janus, though the specific reason for this epithet is not documented in available sources. It is one of approximately 71 species in the genus Zelus, which is distributed primarily in the Americas.
Zelus renardii
leaf hopper assassin bug, sundew assassin bug
Zelus renardii is a medium to large assassin bug native to western North and Central America that has become a successful global invader. The species is diurnal and employs a distinctive predatory strategy using sticky secretions from glandular setae on its forelegs to capture prey, earning it the common name 'sundew assassin bug.' It has been introduced to the Mediterranean basin, Pacific islands, Hawaii, Chile, Argentina, and Easter Island, primarily through human-mediated transport of nursery plants. The species is considered for biological control of agricultural pests but its generalist predatory habits create complex trophic interactions.
Zelus tetracanthus
four-spurred assassin bug, sundew assassin bug
Zelus tetracanthus, commonly known as the four-spurred assassin bug, is a predatory true bug in the family Reduviidae. Adults measure 10–16 mm in body length and are recognized by a distinctive row of four spurs across the thorax. The species employs a unique prey-capture strategy using sticky secretions from specialized leg glands rather than muscular grasping. Both adults and nymphs produce these adhesive substances to immobilize prey. The species has been evaluated as a potential biological control agent for saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda spp.) in tamarisk management systems.