What is it Wednesday: July 8, 2020

Can you identify what's in this photo?

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

July 8, 2020. 

And the answer is....

This is the nymph of Reduvius personatus, commonly known as a masked hunter. This insect is a type of assassin bug, a member of the hemoptera family, or “true bugs.”

The nymph (immature insect) of the masked hunter adds dust and other particles to sticky hairs on its body, creating a layer of camouflage. It has one layer of fine particles close to its body, and coarser particles on longer hairs that create an outer layer. This effectively hides it from both predators and prey.

Masked hunters and other assassin bugs eat other insects (including bedbugs)! This makes them good garden helpers to have around, as they can help control the population of pest insects. Some of them can also bite humans and their bite can be painful, so it’s best to enjoy looking at them without touching, but like most insects only bite when harmed or threatened.

One type of assassin bug, known as the kissing bug, has gotten “internet famous” in recent years for its potential to carry Chagas disease. Kissing bugs are mainly found in Mexico and Central and South America, sometimes in southern U.S. states, and rarely in Pennsylvania. There are very few instances of people being infected with Chagas disease in the U.S. The common types of assassin bugs we find in Pennsylvania are not kissing bugs (though they may have a somewhat similar appearance) and do not carry Chagas disease.

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!