Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Monster Assassin Bug!!

WARNING! If you don't like insects, don't read this post. There is a picture of a huge, freaky insect in it. A huge freaky insect that I just may run into in my yard!!! Scary!!!

So remember my mystery insect that I took as part of Creativity Bootcamp?

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Well, I mailed a picture of it to the Ohio Department of Agriculture because it looked suspiciously like a wood borer and thought they needed to know. The exotic insect expert didn't know what it was (not a wood borer - Pheww!) so he mailed it to an etymologist with the department, and what I happen to have is the nymph form of the wheel bug, a type of assassin bug, which is actually a beneficial insect.

BUT, it's darn HUGE and UGLY and SCARY looking in it's adult form. Check this out!

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Yes, these are breeding in my yard!!!! Here's another picture of the nymph, but this one is scarier than mine.

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So apparently, at some point, that pretty little blue bug I photographed is going to turn into Mama Alien, and then, just like the Alien burst out of Fisher, the adult form will burst out of the nymph.

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To become this honkin' HUGE bug that will spear and paralyze Japanese Beetles, Ladybugs, Aphids (which seem like a tiny little snack for this whopper), and various other insects, and then suck their insides out.

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Yay!!!

So, if you are as freaked out as I am right now, here are some pretty insects for you to gaze at.

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Photos from We Heart It, Google Images, and Me!

30 comments:

Unknown said...

My only run-in with an Assassin Bug was with a different type (probably has something to do with the region) but it was all black and much smaller. But it was still freaky for me!

We have no idea how the little lady got into the house, but one morning in the summer when I was 14 (6 years ago, holy crap!) I grabbed a bowl from the cupboard to have cereal. Luckily I peeked inside before pouring in my Reeses Puffs...there was this black THING in the bowl with eggs peppering the bottom! I kind of freaked initially! But then I remembered that my sister was working on her bug collection for High School Biology, so we put the bug safely in a jar, got rid of the eggs, and it became a valuable part of my sis's collection. We later looked it up and found out it was an Assassin Bug, and are harmless to humans. I wonder if that would still apply if I had accidentally eaten it?

Anyway, sorry for the long story...Your Assassin Bug is much scarier than mine, any day! And out of curiosity, have you ever had a run-in with an Icnuman (don't know if the spelling is right...)? They're pretty freaky, too!

Cheap Geeks Anonymous

Michelle said...

Ew! I hate yucky big bugs, even beneficial bugs. I hope it doesn't eat your pretty ladybugs, they're beneficial too and not ew!

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

That is one interesting looking bug! It makes a great subject to photograph. Fantastic photos!

Lois Evensen said...

Well, at least you know what it is! Yep, pretty ugly, though. Maybe not ugly to another same kind of bug, huh? :)

Ott, A. said...

Those are pretty scarry. :) It's funny how when you are younger you like the bugs and the older you get the less you do.

Jessica Strassner said...

Thank you for posting the pretty ones, too!!! I'm already a follower of your blog - thanks for stopping by mine! :)

Jess
http://thelittleblondegirl.blogspot.com

Shawn said...

great pix, I'm a new follower of Tuesday Tag along. please follow me back.
Thanks, Mr. Monkey

http://laughingmonkeystick.blogspot.com/

Kathleen said...

Cool. I saw a huge fat moth a few weekends ago, I'd love to find out what kind it was. It's wing span was about 2 -3 inches across and it's body had a few yellow and black stripes like a bee. It's underside was pinky/orange. I don't know if it was old, sick or dying or if it's behaviour was normal for this kind of moth but it barely moved. It wasn't all flitty like most moths. And it kept sitting still but vibrating it's wings so fast it was a blur. So cool!

Joy said...

Fascinating photos! I was enjoying them so much until the last one - on your hand? As soon as I saw the creepy crawly on a hand I immediately got all weirded out!

Mrs. Mother said...

Those are some great pics. Thanks for following my blog, and I am now following yours.

gone said...

OMG what a crazy alien bug!! EEKKK! Dropping by to say hello and see what is going on. Oh, I got something for you, check it out!
http://charasjewelcandy.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-love.html
Stay Fabulous
Chara

Jennifer Farris said...

hahaha! Oh my goodness, that is freaky. It's like a mini-dinosaur!

Jennifer

Natasha in Oz said...

Those bugs do indeed look absolutely revolting but your photographs are truly spectacular!

Thanks for the lessons on bugs too!

Best wishes,
Natasha.

Michelle A'etonu said...

oh my...those guys are gross! sorry they're in your yard. i'm following back from TTA! hope you stop by again!

Unknown said...

They eat ladybugs? That's sad =( I don't mind about the other bugs though haha

Roxanne said...

Ok, ok..I was *gonna* say I thought the second picture was kinda cute. He looked like a little dino with the ridges on his back. But those last few...ICK! I've lived with Palmetto Bugs and now all sorts of Beetles, but this thing would make me run for the hills!!!

Anonymous said...

Just be lucky you don't have stink bugs! They are huge here in NJ and if you kill them they stink horribly!!! And they get in the house!!!!! Makes my skin crawl!!!

Katie said...

Yeahhhh.. If I saw one of these things in my house. Alot of things would be broken, screams would be heard a mile away, and somehow I would attach myself to the ceiling... or jump out a window.

Following back from Tag along! Thanks!

ChinaDoll said...

I don't like insects they really freak me out but those pictures are lovely =) thanks for the follow, I'm here following you back and I will definitely be back =) Hugs to you dear!♥

Megan, Life Revamped said...

interesting bugs!

thanks for the follow! now following back!

have a beautiful day!

xoxo,
fickle

Anji* said...

Really interesting post! I love bugs :) Cool that it's a helper bug too!

R Montalban said...

Great pictures, and yes scary looking. Glad you found out what it was and thank you for posting up less scary ones too!!!

Citra said...

Yay !! I hate scary looking bug like that*_*

Btw, thanks for visiting my blog & I follow you back

Citra @ <a href="http://childhood-obsessions.blogspot.com>Innocentia</a>

Jessica said...

Oh my...I've never saw one of those...an interesting looking creature!!

Torhild Reidardatter said...

That sure is ugly.

Unknown said...

That is too funny! I'm an Ohio girl, too. We actually have a bug zoo where I work at OARDC in Wooster...lots of crazy, weird insects! :)

Heather said...

Thank you for the pretty insects. I was getting a bit freaked out. Thank you also for stopping by yesterday. It was nice to meet you.
Great pics.

Anonymous said...

Hi!!! Coming from NFF.

That bug is freaky. Yuck

ethnically ambiguous said...

My friend's son wants to be an entomologist so he's always showing us creepy crawly things but Holy Christmas!! I probably would have died of fright or driven my husband so crazy that we'd have to sell our house. Seriously I had a mild panic attack just looking at the pictures :)
Keep up the interesting posts!
EA yet another new follower :)

Anonymous said...

Oh God they really are alien insects, how disgusting, I HATE bugs! I'm SO glad you had some prettier pictures there afterwards.

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