Black Corsair

Scientific Name: Melanolestes picipes

Order & Family: Order Hemiptera, Family Reduviidae

Size: 13 to 20 mm (0.5 to 0.8 inches)

Black Corsair

Natural Habitat

Under rocks, logs, debris, and occasionally near human dwellings, especially in wooded or grassy areas throughout North America.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous; feeds primarily on other insects like beetles and crickets using its piercing-sucking mouthparts.

Behavior Patterns

Predatory and largely nocturnal. They are known for their ability to run quickly and are attracted to porch lights at night. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis.

Risks & Benefits

Beneficial to ecosystems as a natural form of pest control. While not aggressive, they can deliver a very painful bite if handled or provoked, though they do not transmit diseases to humans.

Identified on: 6/30/2026