Possible Boxelder or Assassin Bug? - Reduvius personatus

Moved

Moved from Frass.

… Robin McLeod, 27 March, 2009 - 3:30pm

Frassed

… v belov, 26 March, 2009 - 11:18am

Bed bugs, too?

Geez, there seems to be an 'epidemic' of masked hunters this year. With that many found in one household, it strongly suggests the homeowner also has bed bugs (the primary prey of masked hunters in human dwellings). PLease tell the homeowner to inspect for bed bugs. I hope I'm wrong, but...that is just wa-a-a-a-y too many masked hunters to be 'casual' visitors.

… Eric R. Eaton, 2 July, 2007 - 6:45pm

No bed bugs around here.

I've never seen a bed bug, but we have a normal population of up to 6 masked hunters on the outside of our house in southern Ontario during June and July every year. They also occur regularly in numbers on the outside of other buildings in town, including the community centre and the public works garage (where bed bugs would not be expected).

I've seen and photographed masked hunters eating sowbugs, earwigs, and green lacewings around here, and there's more than enough of those to account for the hunter's entire diet. I suspect that masked hunters in a basement in southern Ontario would be going after sowbugs and earwigs.

… Robin McLeod, 12 August, 2007 - 5:40pm

Moved

Moved from Reduvius.

… Brad Barnd, 29 June, 2007 - 5:27pm

My Guess

I'd say its a Black Corsair male, which is an assassin bug. I'm not positive though, the shape of the pronotum is a bit different then from the photos I have of this.

… Will Chatfield-Taylor, 29 June, 2007 - 4:26pm

This is Reduvius personatus. Note the lack of expanded pads on the legs.

… Brad Barnd, 29 June, 2007 - 5:26pm