CLOSED: Good, bad or indifferent?

A colorful bug on the sunflowers, and it flies.

I don't think it's the common milkweed bug. The skinny head & fat abdomen are different.

I avoid all bugs of that kind (Hemiptera). Some of them are blood suckers, others just secrete stinky and nauseating substances on you, others are just plant parasites, and I don´t want to find out which ones do what.

I think it's one of the assassin bugs. Did you happen to get a profile shot? LOL

I think Floridan's got it. Now, get right back out there and get a profile shot to prove it, Xenorf! LOL

yep!

Bottom view

Bottom view 2

Side view

Front view

I watched a wildlife show recently on one of the nature channels. I forgot the name of the host... but he was some crazy bug scientist. For the sake of demostration he was putting stink bugs in his mouth. LOL - It was soooo gross!

Definitely an assassin bug...one you want in your garden. You can tell by the beak or proboscis folded up under its head/face. Great pictures!

Were the stink bigs starting thier stinking routine yet? hehehe

OK, why do I want this in my garden?
Let me guess, It assissinates bad bugs. Right?
Any quick links on hand I can read?

http://www.easyinsects.co.uk/assassin-bugs/

Is it an assassin bug? Apparently there are many species. Most are beneficial but, some have a poisonous bite.

I don't know but, I know the fotos are fantastic! Did it stay put until you came back?

I didn't have to go back, I just kept clicking until it flew away, I had to jump out of the way because it made a fuzzy-buzzing sound.

Tell me about your camera!

http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/insects/bugs/assassin_bug/
http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/aimg51.html
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2082.html

Canon A70 Powershot, built in macro. I use mostly the manual mode, that way i can control the depth of field & exposure better. I'll have to find the book to find out the spec on the macro etc..
You could probably find the specs on the net somewhere.
I shoot everything at the highest resolution with the least amount of compression.
A 512 memory card gets about 300-350 photos.
I know there's later models out now A80 & A90 maybe.

Thanks for the links.
I have my reading material for tonight :-)

Xenomorf, I wouldn't have been able to even guess about the bug....but MAN! Those are some fantastic photos! :-)

-Julie

Thanks.

That is a really cool-looking assasin bug! We just have the plain black/brown ones in my area. As far as I know they are beneficial - I've seen them "assasinating" caterpillars, katydids, and other pests. They will emit a nasty stink if disturbed. I've never tried to pick one up so I've never been bitten, but it stands to reason that they could have a painful bite - their proboscis injects venom and digestive enzymes into their prey so that could do some serious damage to your flesh!

This is the first time I've ever seen this particular species, probably not a very common one I'd gather.

Maybe a neighbor released some for pest control. They are sold for that purpose. From what I gather they are a pretty ferocious predator.

Xenomorf, I think this assassin bug liked his photo-op! He was definetly 'into it'. I've never seen a bug so open to staying put for the camera.

I clicked off about 30 shots in 2 minutes, before it flew away.

So this guy is sort of a ''have gun will travel'' sort of guy. Kinda crowd control for the mobs. lol Ugly-attractive critter. Great post. TNX ~Blooms

Maybe it's this one?

http://www.bugguide.net/node/view/4416/bgimage

Coloration, very close.
But now the plot thickens, this is a 'Bee' killer.
One good bug stalking a 'very' good bug.......LOL

Cool site!

Assassin bug
http://www.clemson.edu/hort/homehort/biassbug.htm

"assassin bug"
http://www.ipmimages.org/cgi-bin/searchaction.cfm

IPM Images: The Source for Agricultural Images
http://www.ipmimages.org/

This is a scary guy: http://www.ipmimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1233065

It looks to me like judyb has solved the mystery! The markings are nearly identical. I think the difference in color is due to the images, not to actual color differences. Do you commonly see these, or was this a rare spotting?

First time I've ever seen this one.

Interesting bug, and you and that camera do very well together! Beautiful series of photos.

Very cool pics!!! and I like the name too. Bugs fascinate me, I love and collect them, and also take pics when I can!!! I played with the ones in Australia in the Bush (forest) I even ate a green ant with the natives! My DH brought me back my favorite, Rhinocerous Beetle from Malaysia, dead one, but it's mounted, lol, I love Dung beetles, and those beautifull Japanese ones, We get lot's of them down south, I like to hold them on my hands!

Rhinocerous Beetle is one of my favorite beetles also.