What is this thing that has killed my bee?

Moonshae · July 04, 2007, 12:56:31 PM

Came home from vacation to find this happening on an open flower. The bee was clearly dead or paralyzed, at least...not moving even a bit. If it were on the ground somewhere, I'd guess the other bug was feeding on a dead or dying bee, but since this is on a flower, I figured it was some sort of predator.

Mici · July 04, 2007, 02:14:16 PM

it's a bee eating bug :-D

JP · July 04, 2007, 02:44:12 PM

Its a little difficult to decipher from the pictures, but we have assassin bugs here, they are very common and eat a few bees, actually they have an appendage that folds under their mouth that can be turned up and puncture a bee, then they suck the fluids like with a straw.

Cindi · July 04, 2007, 05:57:28 PM

JP, I think that you are right. Assassin bugs are true bugs, true bugs are depicted by the "shield" shaped body.

Moonshae, that is too bad, seeing any kind of bee dead is sad. Maybe the bee died of old age and the bug decided to simply clean up the death. I can't stand the thought that quite possibly it actually killed the bee, but JP is probably right, it killed her. Have a wonderful day still, great life. Cindi

JP · July 04, 2007, 10:42:28 PM

I often see assassin bugs on my hives with a bee attached to its appendage, sucking the bee dry. I figure one bee here or there can't be bad, and the assassin bugs are colorful and interesting.

Scadsobees · July 05, 2007, 09:18:01 AM

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/soldier.html

Some kind of soldier beetle...I've always seen them on the goldenrod in the fall, but I never realized that they are predatory.

-rick

JP · July 05, 2007, 02:57:15 PM

I thought the bug on Moonshae's flower looked like a beetle, but don't know of any right off that are predatory, most beetles I know of are scavengers, or nest in rotting wood that the larvae eat.

JP · July 05, 2007, 03:00:17 PM

Yep, I believe Rick found your answer, a soldier beetle.

Michael Bush · July 05, 2007, 11:06:13 PM

One of these:

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=robber+fly&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

Or these:

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&gbv=2&safe=off&q=Assassin+bug&btnG=Search+Images

JP · July 05, 2007, 11:34:39 PM

Really cool sites there Mb, enjoyed the pictures. Aren't insects magnificent creatures.

reinbeau · July 07, 2007, 07:59:59 AM

Quote from: JP on July 05, 2007, 11:34:39 PM
Really cool sites there Mb, enjoyed the pictures. Aren't insects magnificent creatures.

You'd love this site, then. It's one of my favorites!

Check out the bee page.....

JP · July 07, 2007, 10:02:46 AM

Thnks reinbeau, I'll certainly check them out. ;)

doak · July 27, 2007, 09:01:51 PM

The robber fly is the one that can catch a honeybee and keep it far enough away with it's long legs so the bee cannot sting it. Then it punctures the bee and sucks it dry.
Seen it happen.
doak

Southern Drone · July 29, 2007, 11:39:56 AM

That is a fire-fly scavaging on an already dead bee.