Two-spotted assassin bug
Endemic to tropical Africa, the Two-spotted assassin bug is distributed in: Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
- Length 3 m
- Lifespan 2 years
- Diet Cockroaches, crickets, flies and beetles
- Habitat Tropical Forest
For more info on classifications status visit:
www.iucnredlist.org
Morphology
These insects have a stylus (a kind of needle) on their head, whose function is to puncture their prey, inject a toxic saliva, and suck out juices instead of chewing. The main identifying characteristic of this insect is the two large white lines on its wings and the light stripe on its legs.
Behaviour
These insects live in colonies. If it feels threatened, the Two-spotted assassin bug can eject venom from a sting through its mouth stylus, and this sting is considered more painful than a bee sting.
Reproduction
They are sexually reproducing animals and the development from egg to adult takes between 6 and 9 weeks. In this insect, no metamorphosis occurs between the larval and adult stages. Therefore, the nymphs are identical to the adults.
