Leafhopper Assassin Bug
Zelus renardii
This clever predator scrapes sticky resin from plants onto its forelegs, using it like natural adhesive tape to trap fast-moving prey.
- Scientific name
- Zelus renardii
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hemiptera › Reduviidae › Zelus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Agricultural fields, gardens, forest edges, and scrublands.
- Diet
- Leafhoppers, aphids, thrips, caterpillars, and other small soft-bodied insects.
- Range
- North America, Central America, Europe, Hawaii
- Size
- 10 to 14 mm in length
- Lifespan
- 9 to 12 months
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Widespread pesticide use in agriculture and residential gardening.
- Safe to approach?
- Defensive. Harmless to humans unless handled. If provoked or squeezed, it can deliver a painful, burning bite with its piercing rostrum. Observe from a safe distance of a few inches. If bitten, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and apply a cold compress; seek medical attention if signs of an allergic reaction develop.
Zelus renardii , the leaf hopper assassin bug, is a predacious insect contained within tribe Harpactorini. Diurnal and found on both wild and crop plants, Z. renardii has spread from its native habitats in western North and Central America into three other biogeographic regions across the globe.
Photo: Jesse Rorabaugh, CC0, via iNaturalist
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