Pollinator-predator
Guides
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 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.
Mecaphesa asperata
Northern Crab Spider
Mecaphesa asperata is a small crab spider in the family Thomisidae, commonly known as the northern crab spider. It is one of the 'flower spiders' that hunts on blossoms, using camouflage to ambush pollinators such as bees and flies. The species is a Nearctic relative of the better-known goldenrod spider (Misumena vatia) but is considerably smaller. Formerly classified in the genus Misumenops as M. asperatus, it was transferred to Mecaphesa based on revised taxonomy.
Misumena
Flower Crab Spiders
Misumena is a genus of crab spiders in the family Thomisidae, commonly known as flower crab spiders. The genus contains approximately 40 species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, with the most well-known species being Misumena vatia, the goldenrod crab spider. These spiders are ambush predators that hunt on flowers, where they rely on camouflage to capture pollinating insects. Some species, particularly females of M. vatia, exhibit remarkable color-changing abilities, shifting between white and yellow to match their floral substrate.
Misumena vatia
goldenrod crab spider, flower crab spider, white death spider
Misumena vatia is a crab spider in the family Thomisidae found across the northern hemisphere in North America and Europe. Adult females are ambush predators that hunt on flowers, where they capture pollinating insects using venom and their enlarged front legs. Females possess a remarkable ability to change color between yellow and white to match their floral substrate, a process taking 6–25 days depending on direction. The species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism: females reach 6–11 mm while males are only 2.5–5 mm and lack color-changing ability. Females are sedentary, occupying single flowers for extended periods, while males actively search for mates following silk draglines.
Misumenoides
whitebanded crab spider
Misumenoides is a genus of crab spiders in the family Thomisidae, established by F. O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1900. The genus contains approximately 35 species distributed primarily in the Americas, with M. formosipes (whitebanded crab spider) being the most thoroughly documented species in North America. These spiders are ambush predators that typically hunt on flowers, using their crab-like front legs to grasp prey. The genus has been recently recorded from Bangladesh, extending its known distribution to South Asia.
Philanthus bicinctus
Bumble Bee Wolf, Bumblebee Wolf
Philanthus bicinctus, commonly known as the Bumblebee Wolf, is a species of beewolf wasp endemic to the American Rockies. This solitary wasp is notable for its specialized predation on bumblebees, which it paralyzes to provision underground nests for its larvae. Research conducted at Yellowstone National Park has documented large aggregations of this species and its significant potential to influence pollinator dynamics and insect-flower interactions. Males exhibit strong territorial behavior, defending hilltops and elevated areas to secure mating opportunities.
Phymata
jagged ambush bugs
Phymata is a genus of ambush bugs in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as jagged ambush bugs. These insects are characterized by their distinctive jagged, sculptured body form that provides camouflage on vegetation. They are sit-and-wait predators that capture prey on flowers, with raptorial front legs adapted for seizing insects. The genus occurs in the Americas and Palaearctic realm, with multiple species documented in North America including P. americana and P. pennsylvanica, which hybridize where their ranges overlap.
Phymatinae
Ambush Bugs
Ambush bugs (Phymatinae) are a subfamily of assassin bugs (Reduviidae) characterized by their sit-and-wait predatory strategy and exceptional camouflage. They possess heavily modified raptorial forelegs capable of seizing prey ten or more times their own body size. Adults range 5–12 mm in length with a distinctive squat, diamond-shaped body. The subfamily comprises approximately 300 species distributed across tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions worldwide except Australia and New Zealand. Formerly treated as a separate family (Phymatidae), molecular phylogenetic studies confirm their placement within Reduviidae.