A101 Rare Assassin Bug in Dominican Amber

A Rare Assassin Bug in an authentic Dominican Amber Gemstone $150.00 No Reserve A Rare Assassin Bug in an authentic Dominican Amber Gemstone $150.00 No Reserve Description This is an auction for A Rare Assassin Bug in an authentic Dominican Amber Gemstone. This specimen was collected in the La Toca group of mines in late winter of 2005. Assassin bugs prey on other insects, which they pierce with their proboscis and suck out their prey's hemoglyph. Assassin bugs have highly evolved raptorial front legs for holding their prey. Some Assassin bugs feed on bees, they typically ensnare visiting stingless bees who come to gather resin, the Assassin bug grabs the bee and plunges it's proboscis into the bee's head and sucks out the hemoglyph. One type of Assassin bug are unique ant predators, they have glands that produce secretions that attract ants and have a tranquilizing effect on them. The Assassin bugs that feed on ants are typically delicate slim midge-like insects unlike the more robust sturdy Assassin bugs that typically feed on bees. From Ed Koday ..." Nearly 3000 species of assassin bugs exist and scientists feel that many more will be discovered. These insects can be commonly found throughout most of the world. They vary in size from a few millimeters to as much as 3 or 4 centimeters. They come in many colors and shapes and most species have two pairs of wings. However, ALL assassin bugs have a powerful, curved rostrum, or beak, that they use to pierce and suck out the tissues of their prey. The assassin bug uses its rostrum to pierce, then suck the insides from the ant. Photo by Joeseph Warfel Assassin bugs feed by external digestion, which means that they push their beak into their victims body and inject a very toxic, or poisonous, liquid that affects the nerves and liquifies the muscles and tissues of their prey. Most other insects that eat like this have two tubes in their beak; one for injecting the fluid and one for sucking in their food. But assassin bugs have only one large tube that does both jobs. This larger tube allows them to inject a larger amount of the toxic digestive fluid so that prey many times their size can be quickly overcome. Once the insides of the prey are turned into a liquid, the assassin bug uses its rostrum to suck out the liquified tissues in much the same way we use a straw to drink a milkshake! Assassin bugs get their name because of the speed that they have to grab and poison their prey. They are carnivorous, or meat eaters, and use their powerful, jack-knife forelegs to grab their prey. They have sticky pads on these front legs, made up of thousands of tiny hairs, that stick to their victims and keep them from getting away. Some assassin bugs actively hunt their prey, while others patiently wait until their prey comes close enough to grab. The saliva of the assassin bug starts to work almost immediately. Cockroaches have been seen to die in only 3 or 4 seconds, and caterpillars more than 400 times their weight can die in only 10 seconds! A feast this size can last for days or even weeks. Photo credit - Oregon State Entomology Dept. These assassin bugs have made a meal of this much larger moth caterpillar. Not all assasin bugs feed on insects and other invertebrates. Some tropical species attack mamma... read more