This wheel bug nymph is attacking a silver-spotted skipper caterpillar. Wheel bugs are a type of assassin bug. They use their beak-like mouthparts to inject toxin into their prey's body, immobilizing the prey before feeding on its body fluids. The silver-spotted skipper will feed on soybeans, but rarely causes significant damage. Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus, Hemiptera:Reduviidae) Caterpillar (Epargyreus clarus, Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae | Yasser-Agronomist

Springtime ASSASSIN! This bee assassin bug is one of my favorite assassin bugs I’ve ever encountered! Those vibrant colors easily caught my eye, but can anyone tell me why this insect is so brightly colored? I missed it at first, but if you look closely at the log I found him on you can see his leftover molt! That’s right, this assassin bug had just molted to adult, and left its nymph stage skin behind! After molting these insects can be more vibrantly colored until their exoskeleton fully harde