Community identification
Assassin bug
Reduvius personatus
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera; Reduviidae
- Size
- About 15–20 mm long as an adult.
Natural Habitat
Homes, sheds, and other dry sheltered places, where it hunts other insects.
Diet & Feeding
Predatory; uses a piercing beak to feed on flies, bed bugs, and other arthropods.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and often concealed during the day; nymphs may camouflage themselves with dust and debris. The image appears to show it feeding on another insect.
Risks & Benefits
Can deliver a painful defensive bite if handled, but is not a major medical threat. It benefits people by preying on household pests.