Assassin Bugs - Reduviidae

Assassin Bugs Reduviidae are predatory true bugs with strong hypodermic beaks for piercing their insect prey and sucking out their soft parts. They have distinct necks and some have enlarged raptorlike front legs for capturing and holding prey.

Pirates hybridus
A species of hot open areas that does not occur much further north, it walks over the ground waving its antennae. The part directly behind the head, known as the pronotum, is in two distinct sections, with the front part much longer than the rear. Active April - October. Below, photographed in our orchard, April.