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Project Noah Nature School
Stenolemus bituberus
This little insect is dead and may have bleached somewhat. A lumpy, rounded abdomen, four spindly legs down, two thicker front legs folded and forwards. It was quite small about 10mm long.
Within the bark of a roadside eucalyptus.
Mystery solved thanks to Lori.tas. In the family Reduviidae, and sub-family Emesinae (thread-legged insects) these tiny assassin bugs are spread over most of Australia. They specialise in feeding on spiders; particularly Achaearanea, Badumna, Pholcus, and Stiphidion, and the families Salticidae and Uloboridae. I would love to see one catching a jumping spider. This creature is also a mimic. Although it's front legs are folded make it look somewhat like a tiny mantid, the real mimicry lies in it's ability to pluck at a spider web to make the spider think it has a particular type of prey. Brilliant idea.. http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/c... I suppose that this one may have simply run out of spiders to suck on. An excellent full description and good anatomical pics... http://peonyden.blogspot.com.au/2009/02/...
Spotted on Aug 11, 2012
Submitted on Aug 31, 2012
5 Comments
They're really brave insects for targeting spiders!
I had to do a bit of digging to identify mine. They're such fragile creatures, who would have thought them capable of being spider assassins. Ya' learn something new everyday.
That's excellent lori.tas. Never heard of them before but what an interesting creature. Your research is extraordinary. Thanks so much.
Hi Mark, you spotted a little Thread-legged bug. Might be an immature (unwinged) instar of this one I spotted: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/644...
Cute..look like is spider..?