bee assassin

Sexing is easy in this family, as males lack the ventral setae entirely

Note the golden ventral patch of setae- this is used to store plant resins for later use and for oviposition. Without a resin coating, the survival rate of the eggs plummets sharply- with most dehydrating and dying inside the egg, or being predated upon by ants.

I had jumbled my nymphs up on accident. I cant tell if this is flaviventris or spissipes until it grows up

Mature female Apiomerus flaviventris collecting plant resin for oviposition. A common host is encelia farinosa, but any kind of aromatic resins should work.

Just hatched. Nymphs require access to plant resins at all stages and will not make it to i2 without them.

The apiomerini are an unusual tribe of assassins that utilize plant resins in their predation, ecclosion and oviposition.

Bee assassins are a member of the resin bug tribe- these assassins utilize plant resins for hunting and oviposition, having a fuzzy patch of setae on the venter for resin collection.

Similar in appearance to flaviventris but lacks the bright yellow venter and has more red. Behavior much the same- frequents tarweed and other asteraceae.