Wheel bugs rule!

A wheel bug, Arilus cristatus, in repose. These beneficial native assassin bugs are ten kinds of cool, squared. I always consider it a treat to encounter one, and have shown many people their "life" wheel bug. Invariably, they are impressed. Of course, I would explain the valuable roles that they play in nature, and the incredible mechanics of the beast. These prehistoric-looking insects truly are miniature works of art, and deserve our respect.

Thus, I was mortified when I encountered an alleged "news story" about the fearsome wheel bug. The reporter used bizarre inflammatory rhetoric to describe these small insects, such as "The horrific monster or insect..." I'm not kidding. As he spouted this sort of nonsense, he whipped up some local Pittsburgians into a frenzy of fear over the terrifying wheel bugs. It was as if an army of six-legged Vlad the Impalers had descended upon the bucolic Pennsylvania neighborhood.

WATCH THIS SILLY VIDEO HERE. Then, on behalf of wheel bugs everywhere, I would encourage you to leave a comment on their website that protests this ridiculous bit of "journalism", and stick in a good word for the bug!

Wheel Bug attacks, kills!

Brace yourself, gentle reader. All is not kind in nature, and what follows is, from the perspective of a bug, a nightmare come to life. Here's something worth reflecting on, before we get started: what if WE had hunters like the beast below after us?

Wheel Bug, Arilus cristatus, perhaps the most intimidating of the assassin bugs in eastern North America. This is a full grown adult, and it's a few inches long. They seem rather fearless, too, holding their ground when approached.

Wheel Bugs seem straight out of the cast of a Mad Max movie or some other futuristic sci-fi flick. That bizarre hemispherical gear cog jutting from their back is the source of the name, and check out the quads on those forelegs. Powerful indeed, as we shall see, rather graphically I might add. But it's that hypodermic syringe of a proboscis that'll get you every time, if you should be a careless bug.

Hunting Wheel Bugs either just sit and wait, or move with a very slow deliberate gait. Don't be fooled. When the moment is right and the prey is close, they lunge forth in a deathly blur, simultaneously enfolding the victim with those powerful forelegs and stabbing it forcefully with the proboscis. They then pump in chemicals which rapidly liquefy the inner organs and tissues of the victim. Once the insides have attained a nice frothy milkshake-like consistency, the Wheel Bug sucks them back out through the versatile proboscis.

Ah, here's where it gets good. A clueless Leaf-footed Bug (perhaps Acanthocephala sp.) ambles into range. Leaf-foots don't seem to worry much about predators, perhaps because they have glands that emit noxious chemicals when they're molested. Such protective measures mean nothing to the Wheel Bug, however, as this doomed leaf-foot shall soon learn.

It was interesting to watch the Wheel Bug stalk. As soon as it picked up on the leaf-foot, it smoothly arced its antennae towards the prey, gently touching it and thus presumably gathering locational data to help it make the kill. It then ever so hypnotically raised its forelegs, then in the blink of an eye lunged and jabbed. The leaf-foot had no chance.

The video above shows in graphic detail the leopard-like pounce and quick kill of the Wheel Bug. That Leaf-footed Bug is fair-sized itself, but offers no real resistance and is quickly dispatched.

The assassin bug easily manhandles the prey, holding it tightly while pumping in acid-like chemicals via that tube of a proboscis, which is inserted in the shoulder area of the leaf-foot. I suspect that the chemicals are rather forcefully shot into the victim, as it doesn't seem to take very long for the prey to die, and for the Wheel Bug to begin partaking of the liquified innards.

Some more gratuitous, gory video of the Wheel Bug dealing with its kill.

We stopped by a few hours later, and the Wheel Bug still was hard at work enjoying the fruits of its labor. Apparently, after the victim has perished, the Wheel Bug repositions its proboscis elsewhere in the abdomen, the easier to suck up the liquified insides, I suppose.

These photos and videos were shot today, in Scioto Trail State Forest in Ross County, Ohio. Kelly Williams-Sieg, who likes insects every bit as much as I do and knows more about them, came along and we found all manner of goodies. I took 400 images, and caught some other fabulous bugs on film. I will try and share some of the others later.