I have identified the two insects I encountered yesterday.
The first is a red tiger assassin bug. There is over 155 different species of assassin bugs. They have a pointed mouthpart called a proboscis this is used to stab their prey and to also defend themselves. Apparently they can also stab curious humans with their proboscis which can be painful.
Due to their small mouth they cover their prey with digestive juices and then suck them up when squishy. Doesn't sound like a meal I would like to eat!
The second one is a two-spotted gum tree shield bug. These little ones don;t bite and also come in many different varieties. They are also known as stink bugs or shield bugs.They tend to eat just about any plant and can damage gardens, but apparently they are partial to feeding on the smooth bark of gum trees....
2 comments:
Quite a difference between them.
Yes, both very unusual.
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