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Stink bug, family Pentatomidae |
A number
of Hemipteran families, most notably the
Pentatomidae (stink bugs) and the
Coreidae (squash and leaf footed bugs)
engage in chemical warfare with their predators
and parasites by emitting strongly odorous or
corrosive fluids from special glands when
disturbed. Other families such as the
Cydnidae and Scutelleridae have
similar glandular systems.
The coreids and pentatomids are successful
groups in part because of their highly effective
chemical defenses. Coreidae contains 250
described genera with about 1,800 species;
Pentatomidae has 400 genera and 5,000
species.
Members
of the family Reduviidae are commonly
called assassin bugs. They are highly successful
predators of other insects and a few are
ectoparasites of warm-blooded mammals, including
humans.
[2]
Reduviids kill their prey by injecting them with
venomous salivary fluid with their rostrum,
or beak. They may also use the beak in defense,
and assassin bug bites can be extremely painful.
[1]
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*Assassin Bug, family
Reduviidae |
