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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Cimicomorpha » Assassin Bugs (Reduviidae) » Harpactorinae » Harpactorini » Zelus » Milkweed Assassin Bug (Zelus longipes)

Species Zelus longipes - Milkweed Assassin Bug

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Internet References · Works Cited
Milkweed Assassin Bug - Zelus longipes Milkweed Assassin Bug - Zelus longipes - male - female Bright orange 6-legged hook-nosed hexapod? - Zelus longipes Milkweed Assassin Bug - Zelus longipes Orange and Black Insect - Zelus longipes orange & black bug - Zelus longipes Reduviidae-Assassin Bug - Zelus longipes Zelus longipes
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Infraorder Cimicomorpha
Family Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Subfamily Harpactorinae
Tribe Harpactorini
Genus Zelus
Species longipes (Milkweed Assassin Bug)
Other Common Names
Long-legged Assassin bug
Explanation of Names
Zelus longipes (Linnaeus 1767)
longipes = 'long-legged'
commonly called the milkweed assassin bug, as it closely resembles the milkweed bug(1)
Size
14.5-20.4 mm(2)
Identification
sp. exhibits great variation in size and color

Det. Iustin Cret, 2016
Range
se US, s. CA (rare) to Argentina / W. Indies - Map (2)(3)
Season
year round, esp. in TX & FL (BG data)
Food
generalist predators
Life Cycle
Females lay eggs in clusters on leaves/stems. Nymphs molt 4 times. Usually overwinter as adults.
See Also
Repipta taurus (Fabricius)
- Range: se US
Det. Iustin Cret, 2014
Internet References
Featured Creatures (Kalsi & Seal 2011-2014)(1)
Works Cited
1.University of Florida: Featured Creatures
2.Genus Zelus Fabricius in the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)
Hart E.R. 1986. Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 79: 535-548.
3.Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi on 14 July, 2004 - 7:23pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Chuck Entz, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 24 February, 2023 - 10:24am

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