The assassin bug Has a extra-ordinary way of hunting spiders: Assassin bugs plucked the spider web's silk threads that replicate the vibrations of a fly or other insect, causing the fooled spider to head towards the assassin bug. Once within reach, the bug slowly tapped the spider with its antennae before lunging and stabbing the lured arachnid with its sharp snout. The team from Macquarie University, Australia, said the behaviour - known as aggressive mimicry - was one of two strategies employed by the bug (Stenolemus bituberus) to trap its prey. The other involved "stalking" spiders, where the assassin bug slowly approaches the unsuspecting victim until within striking range.
Friday 26 April 2013
The Assassin bug and its peculiar hunting techniques
The assassin bug Has a extra-ordinary way of hunting spiders: Assassin bugs plucked the spider web's silk threads that replicate the vibrations of a fly or other insect, causing the fooled spider to head towards the assassin bug. Once within reach, the bug slowly tapped the spider with its antennae before lunging and stabbing the lured arachnid with its sharp snout. The team from Macquarie University, Australia, said the behaviour - known as aggressive mimicry - was one of two strategies employed by the bug (Stenolemus bituberus) to trap its prey. The other involved "stalking" spiders, where the assassin bug slowly approaches the unsuspecting victim until within striking range.
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