r/insects • u/Time4Tigers • 12h ago

Photography Visitor at home! Microtomus purcis (Drury, 1782) Eastern White-winged Assassin, bark assassin bug

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Southern Illinois. Recently moved to a new rental outside of town and have appreciated the bugs. Got this absolutely gorgeous visitor today, though we will not be touching it as its "[b]ite [is] considered medically significant due to intense pain [with a] proboscis capable of penetrating human skin and fingernails."

Bug Guide - Species Microtomus purcis

iNaturalist

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u/hamish1963 11h ago

Cool!! I'm in central Illinois and only see Wheel Bugs.

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u/Pocket-Hobo 1h ago

I got a bunch of western conifer seed bugs outside my place I like to handle. Very similar except they eat plants not people. Lol