Say hello to my creepy little friend!

[journey11]

Found this on my back porch yesterday...



It's a Wheel Bug, a type of Assassin beetle. It is about an inch and a quarter long! They say they are like having a lion in your backyard. They eat Mexican bean beetles and Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs and many others. YAY! Because I have had plenty of each. The Asian Lady Beetles did finally level out, and we have been plagued with the BMSB's the past 3 years. Maybe their days are now numbered.

I am aware of their terrible bite. I told the kids not to stomp them and not to touch them either. They daily find something to put in a jar and show me, but they avoided this guy because of his fierce looks.

I have not preemptively sprayed my garden other than a rare spot treatment here or there for about 3 years now. I have all kinds of beneficials on duty, but this is the first Assassin beetle I have ever seen. I had a lot of Mexican bean beetles at the end of summer. They must have drawn him here.

 

[journey11]

Here is a better pic than mine, from the web.

 

[Nyboy]

Cool here hoping he has a big family

 

[aftermidnight]

Here is a better pic than mine, from the web.
View attachment 22710

but.

Annette

 

[thistlebloom]

Yikes! Look at that armor on his thorax!

 

[digitS']

Isn't this the beneficial bug ..

. @baymule has?



Steve

 

[journey11]

Yikes! Look at that armor on his thorax!

We've noticed it helps him get turned back upright when he flips over. Not sure what else it might be for.

 

[baymule]

I have orange and black assassin beetles. I would LOVE to have some of these! The ones that I have like aphids, so when the aphids show up, I do nothing because my little friends need food! I like my assassin beetles so much that I caught some at our old house and brought them with me. But I think these same bugs were already here.

 

[ducks4you]

Somebody called into Mid American Gardener recently that they had spotted one of these in their backyard garden, so I guess they are native here, too.
Can't have ENOUGH predators in my garden!
Just don't criticize their "religion!"
http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Assassin's_Creed_(series)
...or the kitties who also believe in this!

 

[flowerbug]

me likes all sort of bugs... i doubt they live this far north, but it would be interesting to know more.