Remember this weird-looking bug I posted a while back?
Well, turns out it is a wheel bug.
I was doing some quick web searching to identify another cool insect we've been seeing (more on that later) and decided to see if I could identify this one. Brian's identification as 'some type of assassin bug' was correct! Not too surprising given his broad knowledge-base, after all as an agronomist he gets involved with a lot of bug identification. Aren't I a lucky gal to have such a great hubby? But I digress...
The wheel bug (scientific name Arilus cristatus) is a true bug and member of the assassin bug family and an insect predator, which means they are usually considered beneficial insects. They can bite if handled (so don't touch!), but are not aggressive. For more info, see this wikipedia entry.
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