27 August 2004

A very strange insect

Forrest M. Mims III

There are some mighty strange insects in this world.

Consider the assassin bug, which is also spelled assasin bug. This strange looking creature inspires fear in many people. Yet other insects are its only goal when they are left alone.

The Assassins were a 11th-13th century sect of Isma'ili Shi'ite Muslims. Devotees of this group operated in Iran and Syria and saw murder as a religious duty to be carried out against members of the Sunni communities, particularly officials and leaders who opposed them.

The insect that has inherited their name is just as fierce. The assassin bug slowly prowls across leaves looking for a victim. When it finds a suitable meal, it spears it with its long, sharp beak. It then injects a poison, which also digests the victim. After a brief wait, the assassin bug dines on its victim by using its beak like we use a straw.

There are nearly 3,000 species of assassin bugs. While they come in a wide variety of colors and sizes, they all are recognizable by their geometrically shaped abdomen, their tiny head and the long beak folded under their thorax.

Because assassin bugs consume so many insects, they are widely viewed as helpful insects. Therefore its best to let them be so they can keep your garden and your shrubs free of pests.

One web site visited while preparing this column goes a step beyond. This site is for natural gardeners who do not use pesticides to kill pests. It suggests that the gardener assist hungry assassin bugs by moving them to fresh territory with lots of aphids and caterpillars to catch.

Should you try this, be sure not to handle the critter. You just might end up with a very painful puncture wound.

Consider the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), one of the most common assassin bugs in South Texas. This fierce looking, gray insect can be more than 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) long, and its perfectly capable of taking on a bigger grasshopper. Its name derives from the prominent crest, which resembles a cog or gear.

It's best to let wheel bugs alone, for they can stab a finger and cause a painful reaction.

The Texas Agricultural Extension Service has a web site called "Insects in the City" (http://citybugs.tamu.edu/index.asp). The assassin bug section explains how to treat wheel bug bites with antiseptic. It advises immediate medical attention in the event of an anaphylactic reaction, "such as generalized swelling, itching, hives or difficulty breathing."

To avoid all this, it's best to watch, not touch, these very strange-looking insect killers.

Forrest M. Mims III and his science are featured online at http://www.forrestmims.org/.

This feature was originally published in Forrest Mims's weekly science column in the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise, Seguin, Texas. The column is written for a general audience.