Black Corsair (Melanolestes picipes) -- Male
An assassin bug (Family: Reduviidae) that preys upon other insects and is found throughout much of North America, particularly the northeast, central, southern United States. Males are fully winged and can often be seen out and about during the spring, presumably searching for females. (This one was attracted through my open basement door and into my shop.) During mating, the spongy pads on the males' forelegs are used to help mount females. The pads are also said to aid in capturing prey.
Females corsairs have stunted, non-functional wings. They hunt under rocks, logs, and fallen leaves for ground-dwelling prey like caterpillars, crickets, and earthworms. Adults overwinter under logs, in piles of weeds, etc. (See Swamp Thing for a photo of a female Black Corsair.)
In general, assassin bugs have elongated heads and short, stout, curved proboscises. (Plant-feeding bugs tend to have longer, thinner and straighter proboscises which they hold against the underside of their bodies when not in use.) Assassin bugs feed by thrusting their proboscises forward and into the body of their prey. After injecting saliva to paralyze the prey, assassin bugs suck out the body fluids.
Jo can attest to the fact that an assassin bugs can and will thrust its proboscis into human flesh. A few yeas back an assassin bug accidentally ended up in our house and Jo attempted to return it outdoors. The bug failed to appreciate the her kindness and administered a bite. Jo said it hurt -- a lot.
