White-eyed Assassin Bug

Platymeris biguttata

Fascinating Facts

• These large assassin bugs are voracious predators that sneak up on their prey and use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to inject a variety of digestive enzymes. The bugs can work as a team to overpower prey that is often much larger than an individual assassin bug.

Physical Characteristics

They have piercing mouthparts that are shaped into a beak and deliver a paralyzing bite to invertebrate prey (caterpillars are especially favored). The two large white spots on their wing cases give them their common name.

Habitat/Diet

White-eyed Assassin Bugs are found in the drier regions of southern Africa. They prey on soft-bodied insects and occasionally vertebrate blood.

Social Behavior

White-eyed Assasssin Bugs hide in groups under peeling bark, logs, and rocks. They emerge at night to feed.

Status In The Wild

They are not endangered.

Other

They can be found in the Insect Zoo.