This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

You leave home, take three left turns, and return home.  Who are the two masked men waiting for you?  (Hint:  America’s pastime)

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

The insect world is filled with unusual creatures, but one category of them includes a carnivorous selection of silent hunters, who are almost stealth-like in their tactics.  These insects are sometimes called assassin bugs.

Here are a few interesting facts about assassin bugs:

• Family:  Reduviidae
• Size:  Length varies from a few millimeters to several centimeters 
• Predatory behavior:  Capture and subdue other insects
• Global environment:  All continents except for Antarctica

Assassin bugs use a hunting strategy that is based upon ambush tactics.  They hunt a wide variety of prey, ranging from the smallest aphids to caterpillars.

These bugs blend in with the surrounding environment as they patiently wait for their next victim.  These ingenious hunters possess piercing-sucking mouth parts.  A needle-like stylet is their weapon of choice.

Assassin bugs live in a variety of environments, ranging from deserts to rain forests to woodlands to urban gardens.  They are sometimes discovered by humans on plants, under rocks, among leaves, on tree trunks, and hidden in ground cover.  Their camouflage colors of browns and greens provide unsuspecting cover.  Other bugs feature vibrant reds and blacks, which alert predators to their toxicity.  

Their strong raptorial fore legs allow for grasping and holding prey firmly.  The stylet injects a cocktail of poisonous venom to paralyze the victim.  Additional enzymes liquefy the prey’s internal tissues.  The assassin bug proceeds to suck up the victim’s insides for nourishment–leaving only an empty husk.

Assassin bugs are relatively harmless to humans.  Discomfort from a bite usually lessens in a few hours or days.  Their main predators include birds, spiders, lizards, and even some small mammals.

There are over 7,000 species worldwide.  The photo gallery features a small collection of assassin bugs found in the United States.