It must be difficult to go through life with a name like "assassin bug." Most in that profession prefer to keep a low profile. Imagine being at a garden party and being introduced to a ladybug as an assassin. That would surely kill any chance of a meaningful relationship.
Members of the Hemiptera order of insects—the true bugs—assassin bugs lie in wait. "They use the long rostrum [beaklike extension] to inject a lethal saliva that liquefies the insides of the prey, which are then sucked out. The saliva is commonly effective at killing substantially larger prey than the bug itself."
Needless to say, I kept my distance.
- Photo taken at Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area
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