This long and lean Assassin Bug is an adept predator of insects thanks to stealth and a stiletto.
The black and orange colors on Sirthenia carinata serve as a warning to approach with caution, if at all. Like other members of the Assassin Bug family, this species has a long fang at the front of the face. It is used to stab insects to death so they can then be devoured. Sometimes, the fang is used in defense when under threat, like from a careless human handler, delivering a painful wound. Juveniles are somewhat different in appearance: more red overall with black dashes on their abdomen. They molt as they grow and develop, changing shape and color. Adults are black with orange color at the more narrow center, or middle part, of the insect. The orange-brown legs are thick and strong. The black head sports an orange dagger-like fang, folded down until ready for use.
Thanks to a varied diet of insects, this kind of bug is a good one to have around in a garden or farm. It will help eliminate pests and control the population sizes of other larval and adult insects that tend to feed on fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Hemiptera
Family:Reduviidae
Genus:Sirthenia
Species:carinata
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Sirthenia carinata
Category:
True Bug
Size (Adult; Length): 20mm to 25mm (0.78in to 0.98in)
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Colors: black, orange
