Orange Assassin Bug - Gminatus wallengreni or Gminatus australis
Family Reduviidae
This page contains pictures and information about Orange Assassin Bugs that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 17mm
- This assassin bugs look similar to the Common Assassin Bugs but the colour is different. The body are orange red in colour with black legs and black wings. We took the above picture in Wishart Bushland in early winter.
- Later in early summer we found a pair of the Red Assassin Bugs wandering near a Stingless Bee nest. They seem looking for chances to hunt some bees.
- They two assassin bugs flied actively around the bee nest in the tree trunk. Sometimes rested on the tree trunk. Sometimes rested on the plants in front of the bee nest. We watched them for about half an hour but they did not catch any. It could be because of our interruption.
- The two assassin bugs looked the same, one with slender body. They could be one male and one female.
- This species could be either Gminatus wallengreni or Gminatus australis. The two species look very similar and cannot be distinguished by naked eyes.
- Reference:
- 1. Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland - Queensland Museum Publications 2000, p91.
- 2. Insects of Australia - Hangay, George, & German, Pavel, Reed New Holland, 2000, p63.
