The Wild World of Insect Crime
Around Halloween it is always good to get the dirty on the crazies. In this blog, we tackle the assassin bug, aptly named because of its stiletto – dagger-like – mouth which it plunges into its victim and through which it drinks the body juices of its pray.
Assassin Bugs
Assassin bugs are a very large family of insects that belong to the order hemipterans. Hemi means two, such as hemispheres – our brain is made up of two hemispheres. The world has the northern and southern hemispheres. In the case of hemipterans, hemi means two types of wings. Beetles, which are not related to assessing bugs have a sold outer cover over their membranous wings. Hemipterans have both a short hard covering and membranous wings that show along their back. It also gives them a little spot that looks like a shield.
A few of the members of the Assassin bug family carry the pathogen that causes the disease Chagas. These few species are called kissing bugs because they tend to bite humans around the lips while said people are fast asleep.
Not all assassin bugs carry the pathogens and for the most part, assassin bugs do us a favor. However, if one should bite you, be forewarned it hurts and the bit area often swells and remains painful for days. Think of pain on the level of being stung by five or more yellowjackets at the same time. Unlike yellow jackets, the pain does not go away in a few hours and you can end up with a severe allergic reaction.
Assassin bugs and ambush bugs often look like other insects. They just cozy up to those look-a-likes and then attack by stabbing them with their dagger-like mouth. They also have long legs which helps to subdue their prey. You must understand that the insect being eaten is not quite dead until the meal is almost complete.
To learn more about the crazy world of insects and how to avoid painful bites around your home, reach out to our professionals. We provide affordable and accurate pest control services to Bryan and Collage Station.
