Reduvius personatus

Reduvius personatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Reduviidae
Genus: Reduvius
Species:
R. personatus
Binomial name
Reduvius personatus

Reduvius personatus or the masked hunter is an insect belonging to the assassin bug (Reduviidae) family. The name is because its nymphs camouflage themselves with dust. The masked hunter is a predator of small arthropods, including woodlice, lacewings, earwigs, bed bugs and termites. Masked hunters do not feed on human blood, but can deliver a rostral stab to humans in self-defense when mishandled. The stab can be painful, but masked hunters do not carry Chagas disease unlike the kissing bug for which they are sometimes mistaken.