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Description

Tree resin assassin bug. Taken in Malaysia.

Quote from rcannon992.com/2017/11/29/resi…

Reduvid bugs (Reduvioidea) – of which there are more than 7,000 named species – have evolved a diverse range of structural and behavioral adaptations to enable them to capture prey (4), including the application of sticky substances (“sticky traps”) to their forelegs by so-called resin bugs. Such ‘Assassin bug, Amulius cf. sp, Ectinoderinin’ is known from species in both the New and Old Worlds:

“Unique among known sticky trap predators, assassin bugs (Reduviidae) have evolved both exogenous and endogenous sticky trap predatory mechanisms: some trap their prey with sticky plant resins, some scavenge insects entrapped by sticky plant trichomes and others self-produce sticky secretions.” (Zhang et al., 2016) (3)
Resin bugs include the following tribes in the subfamily Harpactorinae: Apiomerini, Ectinoderini, and Diaspidiini (2). Resin bugs in the tribe Apiomerini (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) are restricted to the New World and include species such as Apiomerus pilipes, which are natural enemy of stingless bees in Brazil (1). The Ectinoderini are restricted to the Oriental region and appear to be much less well-studied than their New World cousins. This tribe also includes species such as Amulius malayus, which dip their setae covered forelegs legs into tree resin and use it to trap stingless Trigona bees.

Description

Tree resin assassin bug. Taken in Malaysia.

Quote from rcannon992.com/2017/11/29/resi…

Reduvid bugs (Reduvioidea) – of which there are more than 7,000 named species – have evolved a diverse range of structural and behavioral adaptations to enable them to capture prey (4), including the application of sticky substances (“sticky traps”) to their forelegs by so-called resin bugs. Such ‘Assassin bug, Amulius cf. sp, Ectinoderinin’ is known from species in both the New and Old Worlds:

“Unique among known sticky trap predators, assassin bugs (Reduviidae) have evolved both exogenous and endogenous sticky trap predatory mechanisms: some trap their prey with sticky plant resins, some scavenge insects entrapped by sticky plant trichomes and others self-produce sticky secretions.” (Zhang et al., 2016) (3)
Resin bugs include the following tribes in the subfamily Harpactorinae: Apiomerini, Ectinoderini, and Diaspidiini (2). Resin bugs in the tribe Apiomerini (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) are restricted to the New World and include species such as Apiomerus pilipes, which are natural enemy of stingless bees in Brazil (1). The Ectinoderini are restricted to the Oriental region and appear to be much less well-studied than their New World cousins. This tribe also includes species such as Amulius malayus, which dip their setae covered forelegs legs into tree resin and use it to trap stingless Trigona bees.