Species Insects & ArthropodsPale Green Assassin Bug

Pale Green Assassin Bug

Zelus luridus

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Pale Green Assassin Bug (Zelus luridus)

The Pale Green Assassin Bug is a slender, greenish assassin bug with long legs and a short, curved beak used to dispatch prey. It hunts actively among foliage and is a beneficial predator in gardens and orchards. Nymphs coat themselves in sticky plant resin to trap prey, an unusual foraging adaptation.

Habitat
Gardens, fields, orchards, and woodland edges
Diet
Adults and nymphs: soft-bodied insects and small arthropods
How common
Common

Best time to see a Pale Green Assassin Bug

The best time to see a Pale Green Assassin Bug is April–August, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 33,232 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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