Order: Hemiptera (he-MIP-ter-a) (Info)
Family: Reduviidae
Genus: Arilus
Species: cristatus
Profile:4 positives
No neutrals
No negatives
Regional...This bug has been reportedly found in the following regions: Malvern, Arkansas
Flora, Indiana
Osage City, Kansas
Benton, Kentucky
Millersville, Maryland
Cole Camp, Missouri
Canton, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Cincinnati, Ohio
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Macungie, Pennsylvania
Millersburg, Pennsylvania
Allen, Texas
Cibolo, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Snyder, Texas
Sterling, Virginia
Strasburg, Virginia
Member Notes:
| Rating | Author | Comment |
| Positive | jtr2888 | On Aug 8, 2006, jtr2888 from Bethlehem, PA
(Zone 6b) wrote:This insect is a predator that eats other insects. I have a quite a few of them inhabiting my yard. They get fairly large, one to one and half inches or so.
The ones I have seen are grey/black with some brown on their wings. The nymph is bright red and black.
A Wheel Bug's mouth is like a syringe. It plunges it into its prey and eats kind of like a spider. I'm not an expert, this is just based off of what I've read and seen.
I don't mind them as they eat the Japanese Beetles that try to snack on my rose bush. I wouldn't pick them up. According to the insect guides I've checked, they will bite if harassed. I've never been bitten, but I have heard it’s like a bee sting.
In my experience they are not aggressive, and fairly tolerant of me. I've gotten within a few inches to take pictures. They always just ignore me. At most, they slowly walk away. | | Positive | melody | On Sep 16, 2006, melody from Benton, KY
(Zone 7a) wrote:Pretty fierce looking, and downright scary, Wheel Bugs are one of the most intimidating insects in the garden. They look like something out of a 1950's horror movie, or a prehistoric jungle.
They are one of the Good Guys, eating other insects and preying on some of the most destructive inhabitants in the garden.
| | Positive | SimbiDlo | On Sep 14, 2007, SimbiDlo from Snyder, TX wrote: Great to have in the garden, but it is a good idea to leave them alone, their bite HURTS like you know what, and this is from experience. I was bit on the tip of my finger and my entire hand felt on fire and went numb afterwards, I had mild swelling and pain for about three days afterwards and the little dot where it bit stayed for months! | | Positive | redmoran | On Jul 9, 2008, redmoran from Osage City, KS wrote: Here in my part of the country(east central Kansas) we call it Assassin Bug. They certainly hunt down and destroy a lot of harmful insects, and possibly some beneficial ones also. Thankfully they don't go after us humans, because I have been bitten a few times in my life, and it is extremely painful, with a burning sensation similar to a wasp sting, but without the swelling that I experience with wasp and bee venom. |
| | By jtr2888
 By jtr2888
 By jtr2888
 By LynnBia
 By ctindell
 By sallyg
 By jndell
 There are a total of 14 photos.
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