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Top 10 most cunning killers in the insect world

In the animal world, predators often choose to attack and destroy their prey in the most unexpected and quick way. However, in this list, we will highlight insects that use the "weirdest" tricks to hunt. So who are they and how do they use them - let's explore below.

1. Apiomerus spissipes

Apiomerus spissipes is an insect belonging to the subfamily Harpactorinae, a large branch of the family Reduviidae (assassin bugs/assassin bugs, which include many parasitic, blood-sucking insects). These bee killers use a rather clever method to “trap” their prey. They crawl around tree trunks, collect sap on their limbs, then use this sticky substance to catch and immobilize the bee. The rest is to puncture the victim's body, inject saliva, wait for the tissue to melt, and then suck all the spoils into the abdomen.

Apiomerus spissipes has a sharp mouthpart, used to tear apart prey, this is their most powerful weapon. This insect looks quite short, the body is divided into clear segments, the antennae are long and slender. Their heads are usually conical, level with the body with the eyes located in front.

They also vary in color, with some species being a light black to a light brown while others are brighter and more colorful. The front legs of assassin bugs are designed to capture prey. When threatened, assassin bugs can inflict painful wounds in self-defense, so be careful when handling them.
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2. West African Backpack Bug

The West African Backpack Bug is an insect that also belongs to the Reviidae family, but its special feature is that it carries the corpses of its prey on its back. A “pile” of corpses of insects such as bees, beetles, flies, ants, termites, etc., after being eaten by the Backpack Bug, will be glued together with a special glue. The backpack made from the corpses of those insects will help the owner escape from other predators. When attacked by spiders or bedbugs, they will use the backpack as a distraction tool, then abandon the backpack and escape.

A Backpack Bug in West Africa has tricked its prey and enemies by carrying a backpack made of dead bugs on its back. They can carry ants, termites, and flies on their backs with an adhesive. This “pile of corpses” can be larger than their bodies, fooling all enemies. If a spider or millipede wants to taste this food, the assassin will immediately drop the “backpack” and run away.

This “backpack” also has the function of deceiving prey. Making the prey confuse the scent of the assassin bug, and quickly become its meal.
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3. Asian Ant-Luring Assassins

Ant-Luring Assassins (Ant-Luring Assassins) belong to the family Holoptilinae and live in the forests of Asia and Australia. They have a special part in their abdomen that secretes a sugary substance. These insects will set traps in areas where ants move and wait. Once ants appear, they immediately secrete a lot of sugar containing this strong sedative to attract ants. The special thing is that when the victim approaches this substance and tastes it, the ant will immediately become unconscious. When the prey falls down, it will also appear and enjoy the spoils.

When ants pass by, it will stand up to expose its abdomen, the smell of the secreted sugar will help the ants be attracted and move towards it. The ants do not know that their "meal" contains a sedative that will quickly immobilize them. When the ants collapse, this insect slowly eats the meal without any hurry. This crafty fellow belongs to the subfamily Holoptilinae.
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4. Masked Bugs

Masked Hunters are insects that survive by picking up debris, dust, leaves, dead insects, etc. to stick to their bodies. These bugs are the nemesis of bed bugs. However, their unique appearance also makes their diet more diverse, and they also eat other insects. Therefore, if you live in a place where bed bugs are common, this is not considered an effective solution for using natural enemies to control the "bed bug" epidemic.

Masked Hunters look like a dust rabbit walking on the street, also known as the bed bug hunter. This killer will camouflage itself by taking debris, from dust to dead bugs, and sticking it all over its body. They prefer to eat bed bugs, but will eat almost any insect they find.

Adult camouflage beetles are uniformly dark brown to black in colour and range from 17–22 mm in length. They have an elongated head consisting of a short, three-segmented bill and long, fleshy antennae. The abdomen of the camouflage beetle is broad, extending from the middle of the outer wing to expose the lateral margins of the abdominal segments. Juveniles of this species resemble the adult form and are naturally dark in colour, but are often grey or light in colour due to a layer of camouflage debris covering them. Juvenile camouflage beetles secrete a sticky substance that covers their entire body, including the antennae and all six legs, which attracts dust, lint and other small particles to their body surface.
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5. Termite Killer Bugs

As the name suggests, termite killer bugs use a unique method to hunt. They will approach the termite nest, using a special protein attached to the back and body of the termite as bait. When the worker termites see and come forward to investigate, it is also the time to raise the net to capture the victim.

These assassin bugs crave termites, and use all kinds of tricks to catch their favorite target. In an effort to keep the narrow space open, the worker termites will eat the corpses of their colleagues, which is also a convenient source of protein.

Termite killer bugs take advantage of this feature to approach termites. They stick pieces of termite nests on their backs to camouflage themselves, then collect the carcasses to use as bait. The assassin bugs hang dead termite corpses outside the entrance to the termite nest. When the hungry workers appear to investigate, they are also the moment they step into the trap of this cunning bug.
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6. Thread-Legged Bugs

Thread-Legged Bugs are insects in the subfamily Emesinae of the family Reviidae. They include some species with very long, toothpick-shaped legs, and mantis-like forelimbs. Although they are related to many assassin bugs, the way Thread-Legged Bugs hunt is quite unique. They rely on their body proportions and legs that are light enough to move across spider webs undetected. They often sneak into spider webs and steal their prey, then escape safely without being caught.

Thread-Legged Bugs resemble walking stick insects, with forelimbs similar to those of praying mantises. However, these insects are not assassins. Most are quite small, and light enough to walk across spider webs undetected. In fact, they sometimes use this skill to their advantage, sneaking into webs when the spider is not looking and stealing its eggs.
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7. Ambush Bugs

As the name suggests, these insects hunt by ambush. They are not related to the assassin bugs above, they have thicker legs and tend to be bulkier than their Reduviid relatives.

Ambush bugs lie motionless on flowers, waiting for their prey, bees or butterflies, to land. As soon as they touch the flower, the bugs quickly attack with their powerful front legs, leaving their prey unable to react. Some ambush bugs even look like wilted flower petals.

Ambush Bugs are separate from their Reduviid cousins, but their hunting method is quite interesting. If you accidentally see a flower in the forest and approach it, be careful, it may be the home of an Ambush Bug. With a shape similar to a flower, this friend often lies still in one place, waiting for insects to fly by and take the flower's stamen. They will suddenly use their two extremely powerful front legs to capture and kill their prey.
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8. Bullet Ants

The bullet ant or bullet ant (scientific name: Paraponera Cavata) is a species of insect that lives in tropical rainforests. These bullet ants are among the most deadly in the world because their venom causes extremely painful wounds. They are also large ants and can grow up to 1.2 inches long. Bullet ants usually nest at the base of trees. They spend all their time looking for food and only attack humans when they feel in danger. You should not be subjective with its venom because unlike honeybees. It can sting you multiple times. The venom of bullet ants is very strong and it affects the victim's central nervous system. The sting of bullet ants is the most painful and persistent sting of any insect, the pain is compared to being shot by a bullet. Bullet ants are not aggressive, they only get angry when you intentionally provoke them. When the ant stings, it releases chemicals that signal other ants in the vicinity to sting more often.

Two other insects, the tarantula wasp and the warrior wasp, are comparable. However, the pain of the tarantula wasp lasts less than 5 minutes, while the warrior wasp lasts 2 hours. However, the pain of the bullet ant lasts 12 to 24 hours. The main toxin in bullet ant venom is Poneratoxin. Poneratoxin is a small neurotoxic peptide that shuts down voltage-gated sodium ion channels in skeletal muscle to block synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. In addition to severe pain, the venom produces temporary and uncontrollable paralysis.

Other symptoms include: Nausea, vomiting, fever, and cardiac arrhythmias. Allergic reactions to the venom are rare. While Poneratoxin is not fatal to humans, it paralyzes or kills other insects. Poneratoxin is a good candidate for use as a biopesticide. In Brazil, the ant is known as formigão-preto or “big black ant.” Americans have called it something like “the one who wounds deeply.” By any name, this ant is terrifying and caution should be exercised when entering areas where it is found. It can cause tremors and temporary paralysis of the limbs. To treat a bullet ant sting, wash the wound with soapy water and then apply a saline solution to reduce inflammation.
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9. Leiurus quinquestriatus Scorpion

Most scorpions on this earth are harmless to humans, however, their venom can also cause different reactions such as pain, numbness, stiffness or swelling to humans when stung. Belonging to the minority, there are also a few species of scorpions, mainly scorpions of the Buthidae family that can cause bad consequences to our lives. Venomous scorpions of the Buthidae family can be mentioned as species in the genera Parabuthus, Tiyus, Centruroides, Androctonus, especially the most poisonous species that must be named is the Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion.

Leiurus quinquestriatus scorpion is also known as the god of death, the god of death of the desert. This is the most venomous scorpion species found in the desert and shrubland environments from North Africa to the Middle East. The venom of Leiurus quinquestriatus is very strong, the poison invades the nervous system, although they are not aggressive enough to cause death to a healthy adult, but for the elderly and children, the risk is many times higher. The two most deadly scorpion species in Africa are Androctonus australis, or the North African fat-tailed scorpion. However, the venom of Androctonus australis is only half that of Leiurus quinquestriatus. The simplest and most common symptoms when stung by a scorpion are pain and numbness for a few days. Although dangerous, they are often shy and often choose to run away when facing an enemy or stand still.
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10. Lonomia Worm

In most of the tropical forests of southern Brazil, there is a caterpillar called the lazy clown by the locals, the Lonomia worm. They have a gentle and beautiful appearance, however, the toxins in the body of this worm can be fatal! If you accidentally touch the thorns on the body of this caterpillar, you will be at risk of internal bleeding, liver failure and hemolytic disease. That is why they are also called "death scythe".

This Lonomia worm is very difficult to detect. It lives on tree trunks and hides under colorful bark. In many cases, discovering its presence means death has come. The Lonomia worm only appears in the easily detectable bright-colored bark for 2 or 3 months of the year. The rest of the time, they hide and turn dark, making them difficult to see, so stay away from caterpillars that hide in the bark of trees in the tropical forests of southern Brazil.

The venom of the Lonomia worm is one of the fastest-killing poisons ever discovered in the world, with the smallest dose. A patient infected with Lonomia worm can die immediately after only 6 seconds, 0.06 seconds less than when bitten by the most venomous snake. This caterpillar is quite difficult to grow like other species. They only live on tree trunks and often hide their bodies under extremely beautiful colorful shells.
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