Phymata
Guides
Phymata pennsylvanica
Pennsylvania ambush bug, Pennsylvania jagged ambush bug
Phymata pennsylvanica, the Pennsylvania ambush bug, is a predatory true bug in the family Reduviidae. It is one of the most common and widespread North American ambush bugs, characterized by its squat, diamond-shaped body and raptorial front legs adapted for seizing prey. The species is known to prey on various flower-visiting insects including bees, wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies. It has been documented preying specifically on the hoverfly Syritta pipiens.
Phymata saileri
jagged ambush bug
Phymata saileri is a species of jagged ambush bug in the family Reduviidae. Like other members of the genus Phymata, it is a predatory insect that hunts on flowers, using raptorial forelegs to capture prey. The species was described by Kormilev in 1957 and occurs in North America.