tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225729272011-04-21T12:10:00.154-07:00The <em>Stenolemus</em> assassin bugs hunt spiders by aggressively mimicking insects caught in the webAEWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10842878986653058452noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22572927.post-44016358272624430252007-09-12T00:38:00.000-07:002007-09-12T00:39:43.218-07:00I have a new website! To read more about me and my research into assassin bugs, go to http://aewignall.googlepages.com.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22572927-4401635827262443025?l=stenolemus.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AEWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10842878986653058452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22572927.post-1140128976389551282006-02-16T14:27:00.000-08:002006-02-17T18:43:18.823-08:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7896/2297/1600/IMG_3659.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7896/2297/320/IMG_3659.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Assassin bugs are dangerous predators, and some of the most fascinating of them all belong to the <em>Stenolemus</em> genus. <br /><br />2 Australian <em>Stenolemus</em> bugs, <em>Stenolemus bituberus</em> and <em>Stenolemus giraffa</em>, hunt spiders using a predatory tactic known as aggressive mimicry (where the predator mimics another organism that is beneficial, or at least harmless, to the prey).<br /><br />These 2 species hunt spiders by pretending to be an insect caught in the spider web. The bug lures the spider towards it by plucking the silk, sending vibrations throughout the web to the spider. The spider is fooled into thinking that the bug is food caught in its web and follows the vibrations toward the bug. When the spider is close enough, the bug stabs it with its sharp beak, killing it, and then proceeds to suck out insides of the spider using the beak like a straw.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/22572927-114012897638955128?l=stenolemus.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AEWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10842878986653058452noreply@blogger.com0