- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold two-spotted assassin bug, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the two-spotted assassin bug
The two-spotted assassin bug is a venomous predatory true bug from tropical Africa, between 10 and 40 mm long and named for two large white spots on its wings. It lives in humid tropical forest, particularly hollow tree stumps and decaying logs, across a range from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Mozambique. It feeds on cockroaches, crickets, flies, beetles and caterpillars, piercing prey with a needle-like rostrum, injecting saliva that liquifies the tissues and sucking out the fluids. Development from egg to adult takes six to nine weeks, and adults live about two years.
Two-spotted Assassin Bug facts
- Its defensive bite is considered more painful than a bee sting.
- It can spit venom that may cause temporary blindness in humans.
- Unmated females lay eggs, but the eggs are infertile.
- Young nymphs look like small adults, with no larval stage.
Where to see two-spotted assassin bug in the U.S.
5 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 5 zoos holding two-spotted assassin bug by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
