Masked hunter
Encyclopedia
The masked hunter is an insect
, belonging to the assassin bug (Reduviidae) family. The name refers to the fact that its nymph
camouflage
s itself with dust. The masked hunter is a predator of small arthropod
s, including woodlice, lacewings, earwig
s, and bed bugs. Although they do not feed on human blood, masked hunters can bite humans in self-defence when mishandled. The bite can be very painful, but masked hunters do not transmit any diseases and medical attention is rarely needed.
. Their abdomen is wide, extending in the middle beyond the wings to reveal the lateral margins of their abdominal
segments
. Nymphs
of this species resemble the adult form and are naturally dark-coloured, but often appear grey or light-coloured due to a camouflage
layer of debris covering them. Nymphs
exude a sticky substance that covers their entire body, including the antennae
and all six legs, which causes dust, lint, and other small particles to adhere to the surface of their body.
distribution. They are native to Europe but were accidentally transported to North America and are now common in the Central and Eastern United States.
, undergo incomplete metamorphosis
. Early stages of the life cycle look like small adults and are called nymphs
.
of R. personatus use their hind legs and a 'tarsal
fan' to construct a camouflaging layer of substrate on their bodies. Two layers are formed, an inner layer of fine particles and an outer layer of more coarse particles. It is hypothesized that the formation of these two layers may be the reason for the presence of long and short trichomes
on the nymphs. Nymphs may use the serrated setae present on their ventral abdome to assist in loosening substrate for use in camouflage. The camouflage may assist the nymph in avoiding detection by both predators and prey. They like to hunt Bedbugs
at night, as well as other prey.
Both the nymphs and adults are predatory, feeding on various arthropods
by piercing their bodies with sucking mouthparts.
Masked Hunters prefer dry habitats and are usually only found in small numbers when they infest houses.
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
, belonging to the assassin bug (Reduviidae) family. The name refers to the fact that its nymph
Nymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
s itself with dust. The masked hunter is a predator of small arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s, including woodlice, lacewings, earwig
Earwig
Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera, found throughout the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand. With 1,800 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders...
s, and bed bugs. Although they do not feed on human blood, masked hunters can bite humans in self-defence when mishandled. The bite can be very painful, but masked hunters do not transmit any diseases and medical attention is rarely needed.
Identification
Adult masked hunters (Reduvius personatus) are uniformly dark brown to black in colour and vary in length from 17-22 mm. They have an elongated head that includes a short, three-segmented beak as well as long slender antennaeAntenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
. Their abdomen is wide, extending in the middle beyond the wings to reveal the lateral margins of their abdominal
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
segments
Segmentation (biology)
Segmentation in biology refers to either a type of gastrointestinal motility or the division of some animal and plant body plans into a series of repetitive segments. This article will focus on the segmentation of animal body plans, specifically using the examples of the phyla Arthropoda,...
. Nymphs
Nymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
of this species resemble the adult form and are naturally dark-coloured, but often appear grey or light-coloured due to a camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
layer of debris covering them. Nymphs
Nymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
exude a sticky substance that covers their entire body, including the antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
and all six legs, which causes dust, lint, and other small particles to adhere to the surface of their body.
Distribution
The Masked Hunter has a HolarcticHolarctic
The Holarctic ecozone refers to the habitats found throughout the northern continents of the world as a whole. This region is divided into the Palearctic, consisting of Northern Africa and all of Eurasia, with the exception of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, and the Nearctic,...
distribution. They are native to Europe but were accidentally transported to North America and are now common in the Central and Eastern United States.
Life cycle
Masked Hunters, like other HemipteraHemiptera
Hemiptera is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs , comprising around 50,000–80,000 species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others...
, undergo incomplete metamorphosis
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation...
. Early stages of the life cycle look like small adults and are called nymphs
Nymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
.
Behaviour
NymphsNymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
of R. personatus use their hind legs and a 'tarsal
Tarsus (skeleton)
In tetrapods, the tarsus is a cluster of articulating bones in each foot situated between the lower end of tibia and fibula of the lower leg and the metatarsus. In the foot the tarsus articulates with the bones of the metatarsus, which in turn articulate with the bones of the individual toes...
fan' to construct a camouflaging layer of substrate on their bodies. Two layers are formed, an inner layer of fine particles and an outer layer of more coarse particles. It is hypothesized that the formation of these two layers may be the reason for the presence of long and short trichomes
Trichome
Trichomes are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants and certain protists. These are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae.- Algal trichomes :...
on the nymphs. Nymphs may use the serrated setae present on their ventral abdome to assist in loosening substrate for use in camouflage. The camouflage may assist the nymph in avoiding detection by both predators and prey. They like to hunt Bedbugs
Bedbug
Cimicidae are small parasitic insects. The most common type is Cimex lectularius. The term usually refers to species that prefer to feed on human blood...
at night, as well as other prey.
Both the nymphs and adults are predatory, feeding on various arthropods
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
by piercing their bodies with sucking mouthparts.
Masked Hunters prefer dry habitats and are usually only found in small numbers when they infest houses.