Assassin bugs - the term alone causes discomfort. Are there even predatory bugs in Germany? This guide is packed with helpful tips for identifying native species. Here you can find out what to do if assassin bugs become a nuisance in your home.

The mosquito-like mosquito bug also belongs to the family of assassin bugs

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Assassin bugs in Germany?
  3. Assassin bugs determine tips
  4. Fight in the house
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. the essentials in brief

    • Assassin bugs in Germany are 3.5 mm to 19 mm in size, have a strong proboscis that curves forward, elliptical-oval to elongated-slender bodies and different colors from red-orange with black spots to grey-brown-beige.
    • Assassin bugs can become a nuisance in the home and deliver painful stings when threatened.
    • Control in the house: catch with the glass trick, drive away with intense odors, spray with soft soap solution or the organic spray neem.

    Are there assassin bugs in Germany?

    So far, 20 assassin bug species have been represented in Germany. More than 7,000 species inhabit a wide variety of habitats around the world. The name refers to a predatory way of life. Assassin bugs are always on the hunt for insects of all kinds, from tiny spider mites to mighty spiders. Against this background, domestic assassin bugs are to be considered beneficial, because the prey pattern includes a variety of pests indoors and outdoors. Admittedly, the appreciation is not untroubled. Assassin bugs have a powerful trunk on board as a hunting weapon. If predatory bugs feel threatened by a human, they feel this snout painfully.

    Identify assassin bugs - tips

    The dust bug camouflages itself with dust

    Assassin bugs in Germany differ significantly in size, coloration, body shape and occurrence. The largest Central European species called the dust bug is a giant at almost 2 centimeters compared to the 3.5 millimeter small mosquito bug. The following table provides an overview of helpful identifying features of 5 common assassin bug species:

    Assassin bugs Germany dust bug assassin bug Short-winged assassin bug pirate bug mosquito bug
    size 15-19mm 14-17mm 9-12mm 9-12mm 3.5-7mm
    color black to black-brown red with pattern grey-brown red-black glossy grey-brown
    body shape elliptical elongated elongated, slender very small mosquito-like
    Special feature very hairy red and black mottled margin Shield with thorn red-orange wings with black spots very long legs
    activity nocturnal diurnal diurnal nocturnal diurnal
    Happen in the house in the garden in the garden in the garden, in the house in the shade, in the apartment
    botanical name Reduvius personatus Rhynocoris iracundus Coranus subapterus Peirates hybridus Empicoris vagabundus
    middle name Masked tramp Red assassin bug none none none

    Read the following species portraits for more detailed information on the appearance, when and where the assassin bugs can often be found in Germany.

    Dust bug (Reduvius personatus)

    As the largest assassin bug in Germany, the dust bug spreads fear and terror. On the nocturnal hunt for flies, beetles and vermin, the imposing dust bug crashes into windows and doors when the light suddenly goes on. The middle name 'Masked Tramp' refers to the ingenious camouflage behavior of the larvae. After each moult, a larva loads its body with dust and in this way becomes almost invisible.

    • Where to find: in the house, in the attic, in the barn or tool shed, outside in tree hollows, abandoned bird nests
    • When to find: indoors all year round, outdoors from May to September

    Murder bug (Rhynocoris iracundus)

    The assassin bug is only dangerous to other insects

    The name makes sensitive souls freeze the blood in their veins. At this point, the all-clear can be given immediately. The assassin bug is primarily dangerous or even deadly for beetle larvae or caterpillars. Careless bees and sawflies are also attacked. A black and red patterned upper side and red, black dotted underside simplify identification for the untrained eye. Admiring and photographing is allowed. If you touch or hold it, an assassin bug will punish you with a painful bite.

    • Where to find: in the garden on flowers (umbel flowers), in the herb layer
    • When to find: from June to September

    In the following video you can experience an assassin bug on the prowl in the garden:

    youtube

    Short-winged assassin bug (Coranus subapterus)

    Compared to its conspecifics, the short-winged assassin bug is out of the ordinary in many respects. Inconspicuous grey-brown color and a very slender body make it difficult to identify the species as a predatory bug. If you look closely, you can see a yellow vertical line on the moving head. On its tag, the bug boasts a yellow thorn. The predatory bug owes its name to its rudimentary, short wings. Adult specimens, larvae and eggs are tough. Because the mating season does not take place until late autumn, the eggs are frost-resistant.

    • Where to find: in the sandy rock garden in full sun, often under wild thyme cushions, mullein, mugwort
    • When to find: March to November (eggs in winter too)

    Pirate bug (Peirates hybridus)

    Under the cover of darkness, the pirate bug hijacks other bugs and sucks their life out. In the course of global warming, the colorful assassin bug species has advanced as far as the Upper Rhine Graben. Because they hibernate as adult bugs, Peirates hybridus boldly march into buildings in the fall in search of winter quarters. The head, pronotum and legs are glossy black. The red-orange, black-spotted wings shine conspicuously towards the hobby gardener when he comes across a daytime hiding place while gardening.

    • Where to find: on the ground in the rock garden, on the dry stone wall under stones in full sun, in the apartment in winter
    • When to find: outdoors from June to August, indoors from September

    Mosquito bug (Empicoris vagabundus)

    Is that a mosquito or an assassin bug? In search of an answer for expert identification, keep an eye out for the typical, arc-shaped, protruding proboscis between two ringed antennae. Another distinguishing feature is an upright thorn on the tag. Of its six long legs, the two front legs are particularly strong.

    • Where to find: on deciduous and coniferous trees in shady niches
    • When to find: all year round in the garden, often on arborvitae and in the house

    digression

    Chagas disease on the rise

    A Chagas bug bite can be fatal

    A bug bite in the tropics is dangerous because Chagas disease is lurking. If assassin bugs of the species Triatoma infestans sink their proboscis into human skin, this sting can transmit the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of the dreaded Chagas disease, to the victim. The most common symptoms of the infection are fever, abdominal pain, liver enlargement and inflammation of the heart muscle, which in the worst case can be fatal. Fatally, Chagas can also be transmitted from person to person, for example when donating blood. According to estimates, around 2,000 people in Germany are now infected with Chagas disease - and the trend is rising. Thomas Zoller from the German Chagas project ELCiD draws attention to this. With this in mind, keeping exotic assassin bugs indoors becomes a risky endeavor.

    Assassin bugs in the apartment - what to do?

    Assassin bug infestations in the house should not be taken lightly. Direct confrontations with some species can have painful consequences. The sting of a dust bug or pirate bug can be just as distressing as a wasp sting. What to do? How to fight assassin bugs in the apartment without poison:

    Assassin Bug Control method
    glass trick catch, release outside
    To evict distribute essential scents
    home remedies soft soap solution
    Organic Insecticide neem

    Please do not use the vacuum cleaner to fight assassin bugs in the house. Numerous species of bugs have a stinking weed secretion on board that remains in the device for a long time. You can read additional information on the correct procedure in the next sections:

    Glass trick - How it works

    If a bug gets inside, you can catch it with a jar and throw it outside

    In Germany, domestic assassin bugs in the house are not dangerous for people or pets. However, the snappy beasts can be a nuisance. The glass trick is helpful and animal-friendly so that the radius of action of the pests is shifted from inside to outside. That is how it goes:

    • Put the glass over the assassin bug
    • Carefully slide a piece of paper or thin cardboard under the glass
    • Run one hand under the paper, stabilize the glass with the other hand
    • Carry the assassin bug outside in the jar and release it alive into the wild

    It is even easier with the Snapy live insect trap, which is now part of the standard equipment in natural households.

    expel assassin bugs

    Intense odors drive numerous insects out of the house, including brazen assassin bugs. First and foremost, sour and ethereal scents attack the olfactory sense of bugs, which then prefer to run away. What helps against the dreaded stink beetle, the marbled stink bug, does not go unnoticed by the dust bug and its ilk. The following tips have proven effective in combating and preventing:

    • vinegar: Rub window and door frames, surfaces in the apartment regularly or clean with vinegar-based cleaner
    • lemon: Use citronella products indoors, put lemon slices studded with cloves on the windowsill
    • juniper: Laying out branches of juniper, camphor and other plants with essential ingredients

    tips

    Harmless fire bugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus) and gentle striped bugs (Graphosoma lineatum) look confusingly similar to the red assassin bug and some noxious red beetles. So that the innocent plant suckers don't pay for this similarity with their lives, please take a close look before you initiate control measures.

    Make home remedies yourself - recipe and application

    Home remedies are particularly effective for bug nymphs, i.e. baby bugs

    Assassin bugs give in when a tried and tested household remedy is used. Classic soft soap solution fights adult bugs, larvae and eggs without poison. The ingredients for the following recipe are on the kitchen shelf:

    1. Heat 1 liter of water in a kettle
    2. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of organic soft soap (€44.90).
    3. Add a dash of spirit
    4. Allow solution to cool and pour into a pressure sprayer

    Use the home remedy as an organic insecticide against assassin bugs. In particular, spray larvae and eggs that you discover in the apartment. When looking for the larvae, please note that they are nymphs, i.e. mini-sized assassin bugs and not maggots, like flies or beetles.

    Neem versus assassin bugs in the house

    If the glass trick proves to be too time-consuming and the home remedy too harmless, neem oil comes into play. The Indian neem tree (Azadirachta indica) defends itself against pests with its main ingredient azadirachtin. Since inquisitive researchers discovered that the active ingredient also renders bugs, lice and other vermin harmless, neem oil has taken a leading position worldwide as a bio-insecticide. In Germany, the product is available under various trade names, such as Naturen Bio-Pest-Free Neem or Insect-Free Neem from Compo.

    It is important to note that insecticides based on neem oil do not have an immediate effect. Rather, the active ingredient interferes with the development of assassin bugs. In the case of larvae, further moulting is stopped, so that they die within a few days. In adult assassin bugs, fertility disorders occur. The number of laid eggs is significantly reduced. Isolated infestation with predatory bugs can therefore not spread to a plague.

    frequently asked Questions

    What do assassin bugs look like?

    Despite a manageable number of about 20 species, assassin bugs differ significantly in Germany. The sizes range from a tiny 3.5 mm to a tight 19 mm. Some species wear red-orange colors as a warning, other species prefer an inconspicuous, grey-brown coloration. Common features are a distinctive, arc-shaped protruding trunk, an elongated, movable head and 2 particularly strong front legs as predatory legs.

    Is a bug bite dangerous to humans?

    Predatory bug species certainly harbor a certain potential risk for humans. If assassin bugs feel threatened, they stab you with their long snout. This can be very painful and accompanied by excruciating itching. The tropical species Triatoma infestans is really dangerous because it can transmit the pathogens of Chagas disease with its sting.

    What should be considered when keeping assassin bugs as pets?

    An escape-proof terrarium or aquarium is best suited for keeping them. Terrarium soil, coconut humus and a mix of peat and sand are recommended as a substrate, of course free of fertilizer residues or pesticides. Please provide a number of hiding places, such as pieces of cork or small branches. A drinking bowl with fresh water is part of the basic equipment in species-appropriate husbandry, because assassin bugs are thirsty swallowing woodpeckers. A temperature of 25°-30° Celsius during the day and 20° Celsius at night ensures active, healthy animals. On the menu are house crickets, small cockroaches or crickets.

    Which assassin bug species are suitable for keeping in the terrarium?

    Exotic assassin bugs, which are significantly larger and more colorful than native species, are popular for keeping. The species of the genus Platymeris from Africa are very popular with a size of an impressive 40 mm. These include the white-spotted predatory bug (Platymeris biguttatus), which displays two large white spots on its glossy black body. The popular assassin bug Platymeris laevicollis draws attention to itself with red spots and red-banded, black legs. The magnificent Platymeris rhadamanthus comes from the African Sahara and impresses with orange spots and red thigh bands.

    tips

    A green soft bug mistakes itself for an assassin bug and is often used in biological pest control. The species Macrolophus caliginosus kills the dreaded whitefly in the greenhouse. These pests often prey on tomato plants and other nightshade plants. For this reason, the specialist trade has declared the soft bugs to be assassin bugs and is offering the beneficial insects for sale.

Category:

Animals in the garden