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Updated: Aug 1, 2025

Harvesting Venom Toxins from Assassin Bugs and Other Heteropteran Insects
Published on: April 21, 2018
Assassin bugs enhance prey capture with a sticky resin
Fernando G Soley1, Marie E Herberstein1
1School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
Abstract:
Tool-use in animals is a complex and rare phenomenon, particularly in insects. Tool-use in assassin bugs has been suggested as several species apply adhesive plant resins to their body, which has been hypothesized to function in enhancing prey capture. Here, we staged predatory interactions of resin-deprived and resin-equipped assassin bugs (Gorareduvius sp.) and discovered that applying resin as a tool conveys a clear predatory advantage to the assassin bugs. Gorareduvius sp. can thus be considered a tool-user, and since this behaviour was present in all individuals, including newly hatched nymphs, tool-use can be considered to be stereotyped. Our study, along with others, suggests that, when compared with other insects, tool-use is disproportionately common within the assassin bugs.
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