photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
larose forest photos | all galleries >> INSECTS (INSECTA) (28 Galleries) >> True bugs (Hemiptera) (10 Sub-galleries) >> Ambush Bugs (Family: Reduviidae, Subfamily: Phymatinae) > Ambush bugs (Phymata)
previous | next
19-JUL-2012 Christine Hanrahan

Ambush bugs (Phymata)

Photographed at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. These bugs are abundant in mid-summer, and catch a good number of insects, from butterflies to bees and wasps to flies and beetles. Their preferred method of catching food is to lie in ambush (hence their common name), hidden in a flower or behind a leaf. When this species mates, the male sits sideways on the female. According to Bug Guide, this behaviour here is called coupling and while nobody really knows why they do it (it can involve several males catching a ride on the larger female!), some biologists believe it helps them to catch larger prey items.

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
1/640s f/3.2 at 5.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
Jim Coffman20-Jul-2012 01:55
Amazing shot!!
Ann Pettigrew20-Jul-2012 00:36
Good eye to find these, Christine. I need to look harder as I haven't seen one in a few years. Nice description, too.
Hank Vander Velde20-Jul-2012 00:22
Terrific shot and explanation Christine.
Commenting on this page requires a PBase account.
Please login or register.