The Wheel Bug is North America's largest assassin bug, reaching 1.5 inches, with a distinctive cog-wheel shaped crest on its thorax found in no other North American insect. It is a voracious predator that stabs prey with its curved beak, injecting paralytic saliva, and can tackle large prey like caterpillars, beetles, and bees. Its bite is painfully sharp and should be avoided; it is slower and more deliberate than other assassin bugs.
Best time to see a Wheel Bug
The best time to see a Wheel Bug is May–September, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 60,655 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Wheel Bug? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
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