White-eyed Assassin Bug
Platymeris biguttatus
Also known as Red-eyed Assassin Bug
- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold white-eyed 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 white-eyed assassin bug
The white-eyed assassin bug, also called the two-spotted assassin bug, is a venomous predatory true bug native to tropical Africa. It lives in humid forest, especially hollow tree stumps and decaying logs, and measures 10 to 40 mm. Its needle-like mouthparts pierce the prey's exoskeleton, injecting saliva that liquifies the tissues, which the bug then sucks out. Prey includes cockroaches, crickets, flies, darkling beetles and caterpillars. Young bugs are called nymphs and look like small adults, and development from egg to adult takes six to nine weeks. Two large white spots on the wings give the species its common names.
White-eyed Assassin Bug facts
- A 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 they are infertile.
- Adults live about two years, and the first moult comes at about two weeks.
Where to see white-eyed assassin bug in the U.S.
4 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding white-eyed 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.
