Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The Black Corsair

Turn on an outdoor light anywhere in the eastern U.S. at night at this time of year and you are likely to attract one, if not several, individual males of the assassin bug known as the “Black Corsair,” Melanolestes picipes. Why only males? More on that in a moment. What are they doing there? They are likely looking for other insects to prey upon.

This species exhibits what is called sexual dimorphism. Adult males are fully winged and are strong fliers. Females usually lack hind wings and have the front wings reduced to mere pads, though there are exceptions. They are nocturnal, like the males, hiding under stones, boards, and other objects by day.

Female M. picipes, Taney County, Missouri

This is among one of the most abundant assassin bugs in the United States, found from New England to Florida, and west to Colorado, Utah, and California. It is often confused with the Masked Hunter, but the Black Corsair averages smaller, at 15-20 millimeters in body length.

Most specimens from the northern part of its range are wholly jet black, but southern specimens may have a red or orange edge to the abdomen, or even have the abdomen entirely red. Those specimens are sometimes confused with the bordered plant bugs I wrote about last week. The red-bordered forms of Melanolestes picipes were formerly considered a separate species, M. abdominalis. The two are now recognized as a single species.

Male M. picipes, Taney County, Missouri

A highly distinctive feature of these agile assassin bugs are the “ankle weights” or “leg-warmers” they seem to be wearing on the first and second pair of legs, at the distal end of the tibial (“shin”) segment. The inflated attribute is called the fossula spongiosa, a pad composed of a dense mat of hairs, with pores beneath them that exude a thin film of oil to the flared tips of the hairs. The whole affair allows the bug to chase prey over slick substrates, cling to struggling victims, and grip a mate in the case of males.

M. picipes from Cape May, New Jersey, after a bad molt

Be careful that you don’t ever mindlessly swat one of these insects if it lands on you. The defensive bites of assassin bugs in general are excruciating, and the odds of being bitten go up when the Black Corsair comes to town. Because they are attracted to lights, and run and fly with great speed and agility, the males may find their way indoors.

It is just this scenario that played out in the notorious “kissing bug scare” in the summer of 1899 in the eastern United States. Accounts vary, some stating the panic began with a single incident of a woman being bitten in Washington, DC (Freiberg, et al, 1984); others claiming there really was a higher incidence of bites from bugs that year. That sensationalized newspaper reporting helped fan the flames of paranoia is a subject of unanimous agreement. Whether the assassin bug responsible was the Black Corsair, or the Masked Hunter, neither species would have been lusting after human victims, simply looking for insect prey in the wrong places.

Male M. picipes, Manhattan, Kansas

Sources: Berenbaum, May. 2009. “Kiss and telmophage,” Am. Entomol.. 55(2): 68-69, 112
Freiberg, Marcos and Jerry G. Walls. 1984. The World of Venomous Animals. London: T. F. H. Publication, Inc. Ltd. 191 pp.
McPherson, J.E., S.L. Keffer, and S.J. Taylor. 1991. “Taxonomic Status of Melanolestes picipes and M. abdominalis (Heteroptera: Reduviidae),” Fla. Entomol. 74(3): 396-403
Slater, J.A. and R.M. Baranowski. 1978. How to Know the True Bugs. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers. 256 pp.

88 comments:

  1. I have found this one only twice here in AZ. Thanks to your article I now know that my 'nymph' may have been a female with reduced wings. Here in SE AZ adult T. rubida are now beginning to show up at lights. Till the monsoon comes, they'll be with us wherever there are packrat nests, and that means nearly everywhere except in central Phoenix

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  2. I have spotted one of these cool little guys in my basement apartment twice already this month . Should I be concerned?

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    1. No major cause for concern; but you might be confusing this species with the "Masked Hunter," which is perhaps even more commonly found indoors.

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    2. How do I get rid of these I have gotten bit and i have found two, me and my friend are trying to sleep and keep seeing this

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    3. Once again, I do not give pest control advice. Please seek that elsewhere. Thank you.

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  3. Just got bit by one of these last night.. Pretty sure it was a male.. WORST. BUG. BITE.EVER.!!!! WAY worse than a red wasp sting or anything else I've ever been bitten or stung by!!! Avoid these bugs like the plague! Lol

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    1. Ouch! Very sorry to hear of your experience.

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  4. I just found it in my house (I am in Indonesia). Is this dangerous, Sir?

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    1. This species does not *occur* in Indonesia, so I cannot comment on your insect.

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  5. Do we have them in Canada ? I could've swore I just killed one of these in my kitchen ?

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    1. Hi, Lynn....You probably saw a "Masked Hunter," Reduvius personatus, which looks nearly identical to the Black Corsair.

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    2. i just found one in my kitchen and i live in toronto / canada scared because i have two small kids

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    3. I just found one on my.husbands shirt on my bed that he just took off. Im so thankful I saw it. I have two very young children.

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    4. I live in Toronto as well and saw two of these bugs within the past few days. I compared the pic I have to this and its right on. The Masked Hunter is a bit more rounded at the tail.

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    5. I live in Toronto as well and saw two of these bugs within the past few days. I compared the pic I have to this and its right on. The Masked Hunter is a bit more rounded at the tail.

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  6. I found multiple of these in my house last night (in Michigan). What is the best way to rid of these insects? And should I be concerned for my family? I heard some nasty things about their bites.

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    1. I suspect you might be talking about the "Masked Hunter" rather than the Black Corsair (I did a blog post about them, too), but in either event it is unlikely that you or your family will suffer bites if you are the least bit aware of them. *Neither* insect transmits diseases, which I think is the concern you are alluding to. I do not give pest control advice here. Simply relocating any "indoor" bugs back outside should alleviate the problem (put a glass over the bug, slip a card under the bug and glass, and then carry outside).

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    2. Thanks Eric, I find Masked Hunters (assumedly) in my home frequently. My cat was caught playing with one and I was a little concerned about her contracting a disease. This alleviated my worry. I relocate them when I can. :)

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  7. The picture that you posted of the Black Corsair looks very much like the insect that appears in my home every summer! I live in Michigan and am puzzled about what this insect is and how so many get inside the house?

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    1. I wish I could tell you! Insects are often surprisingly good at getting in or out of things that seem impenetrable.

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  8. Hi, I found one crawling on me and killed it, I took photos, wanted to make sure its the right one, how do i upload a photo?

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    1. You can try the forum here (see tab at top of this page); otherwise, upload to a known photo-sharing site like Flickr, then include the link in a message here. Thanks.

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  9. Hi, just want to know, is this bug can found in asia? Im from malaysia got bite frm bug that just looked like this?....

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  10. Hi Bug Eric

    I just received a bite from an insect that looks and acts exactly as you have described. It is excruciating, is it dangerous?

    I am in South Africa in the Kruger National Park.

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    1. I am sorry for your experience! This particular species does *not* occur in Africa, so it was likely some other kind of assassin bug that bit you. I do not have expertise on African insects, sorry.

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  11. I got bit and I blistered real bad on antibiotics

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    1. I am so sorry to hear that. :-( Hope you are completely recovered now.

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  12. Just got bit again by one of these little *&^%$#@$. In Texas

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    1. Thank you for omitting the expletive; and do get well soon.

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  13. Is there any harm from their bite. I was just bit by so.etching that looked like this and it hurt!

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    1. Reactions vary according to the victim's immune response. It is irresponsible to make sweeping generalizations about insect bites and stings. *Usually* pain and swelling and tenderness are the major reactions.

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  14. I just got bit by one in eastern us! It looked just like this and the pain was terrible and still is. Should I be worried?

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    1. Monitor your symptoms. Pain is normal, maybe a little swelling, too, but shortness of breath or any other such major symptom should have you seeking medical attention. Sorry for your ordeal!

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    2. Be very afraid and extremely cautious and do not hesitate going to the ER.

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    3. Folks Bug Eric has stressed multiple times this blog has absolutely nothing to do with kissing bugs but only for the black corsair. Thank You!

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  15. Thank you for your site! I was afraid that a kissing bug had bitten me until I saw the photos and comments posted here. I was bitten on the pinkie finger 5 days ago in SE Oklahoma (one of the most painful insect bites I've had the misfortune to experience) It hurt terribly bad, even down the side of my hand and arm.It's still vaguely sore at the site of the bite itself. I am allergic to lots of things so maybe my experience is worse because of that. -Audrey

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    1. I'm sorry you had to endure that! Your description falls perfectly in line with what I would suspect for anyone receiving a bite from one of these insects. Worse for some than others, surely, but still an awful ordeal.

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    2. Thank you! It was memorable for sure. I'm glad to have found this blog- very interesting. I like bugs they're fascinating.(The corsair bit me while I was courteously escorting it back outside, so ungrateful!) I think you could live forever and still find a bug you haven't seen before.. Anyway, keep up the good work! - Audrey

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    3. Thank you for the compliments!

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  16. Are these bugs likely to occur in numbers? I've found three of these in my home in the past 2 days. And I know I am not mistaking them for another species. What could be attracting them to my house?

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    1. "In numbers" is relative....Outdoor lighting at night is the number one way to draw them, intentionally or accidentally.

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  17. Do these insects bite i live in fl I found a dead one in my bed I co sleep with my 5 month old and she has bites all over her

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    1. Please read the last two paragraphs of this post and you will get your answer. I do empathize with your situation, but without seeing a specimen, I cannot confirm this is the creature doing the biting. Please consult your physician, pediatrician for appropriate treatment. Best wishes for a permanent resolution.

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  18. Hi just got bitten by one of these black corsair on my toe, the pain is very strong, I put Benadryl itch stick on it but it still really hurts. Do you know if it has venom? Should I go to the hospital for antipoison?

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    1. I'm sorry to hear of your suffering, truly. Your individual immune system response has a lot more to do with your reaction to the bite than the enzymes the insect injects into you when it bites. There is no "anti-venom" for assassin bugs.

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  19. I found one of these dead in my house and am now having very bad anxiety from it! Do these spread disease with bites?? Am I correct in saying that these are not kissing bugs?? I'm just looking for something to ease my mind! I had a bite on the back of my calf that itched for awhile but then became very sore and tender to the touch. Thanks in advance!

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    1. How is this blog post not making sense to you? You are correct that the Black Corsair is NOT a kissing bug and that they do not spread disease. How could I have made that clearer? I do have posts on the *real* kissing bugs, too.

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  20. Just felt like sharing my story: I got bit by one in East Texas a couple weeks back. It was at night, and the bug flew down my shirt (following prey?), and it got stuck. He dug in twice. I thought mutant wasps were attacking! The pain was so intense that it temporarily knocked the wind out of me! I used Benadryl rub within minutes and had a double dose of Benadryl when I got home about an hour later. The excruciating part of the pain ended quickly, but minor pain persisted for a few days. The bite site is still tender when applying pressure (though the wounds are completely healed), and I swear I still feel occasional pangs of pain.

    I'm glad I came across your site, Eric. There's not a lot of info about this bug on the web.

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    1. I am so sorry this happened to you! Wishing you a complete recovery. Thank you also for the kind compliments on this blog.

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  21. Just felt like sharing my story: I got bit by one in East Texas a couple weeks back. It was at night, and the bug flew down my shirt (following prey?), and it got stuck. He dug in twice. I thought mutant wasps were attacking! The pain was so intense that it temporarily knocked the wind out of me! I used Benadryl rub within minutes and had a double dose of Benadryl when I got home about an hour later. The excruciating part of the pain ended quickly, but minor pain persisted for a few days. The bite site is still tender when applying pressure (though the wounds are completely healed), and I swear I still feel occasional pangs of pain.

    I'm glad I came across your site, Eric. There's not a lot of info about this bug on the web.

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  22. Hi, I encounter these guys yearly and was wondering if you knew how to best distinguish the black adults of Black Corsairs and Masked Hunters? All of the pictures I've seen of males are essentially indistinguishable.

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    1. I did a post on the Masked Hunter, too. It was my first "True Bug Tuesday" post, in fact. Masked Hunter adults are usually a little larger than Black Corsair, and lack the "ankle weights" or "leg warmers" on the ends of the first and second pair of legs.

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  23. Hey I got bit by one of these bugs a few days ago. Still very red ,tender,very itchy.The bite is horribly painful it bit me on the top of my foot somehow got down in my sock. Kicked my shoe off and there it was inside my shoe.been using Neosporin on the area hopefully it clears up soon.THE MOST PAINFUL BIT IVE EVER HAD FROM A BUGE!

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    1. I'm so sorry you had to endure that! Hope you are fully recovered now.

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  24. Just got bitten, burns like fire. Thanks for the info though. At first I thought it might be a boxelder bug, because of the red underside, but those rarely bite, and the back was completely black.

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    1. Ouch! I am so sorry you had that experience. Get well soon!

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  25. This bug bit me tonight and your blog with photo helped me to identify it. I live in San Antonio, TX. I was reading in bed with my Kindle device and it was drawn to the light. It fluttered into the sheet next to me and I swatted at it to knock it off the bed. At this point I believed it was just a moth. The pain of the bite had me yelling pretty loudly and I was up with the lamp on in a heartbeat! He was alive until I whacked him with my flip flop. After washing the red hole in my hand and taking Benadryl , I took a photo and searched online till I found
    photos and your post. Everything stated about this bite is true; it was worse than a yellow jacket or scorpion. The size and general coloring of this thing makes it look very similar to a lightening bug, which I will probably never trust again!

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  26. I believe my son was just bit by one of these. He felt it on his neck and didn't know what it was so he grabbed it off and it bit him leaving a red bloody dot on his finger, is that what their bites look like?

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  27. Yes, a round red dot which is a small open wound. Mine itched constantly for nearly a month. It healed over but continued to itch. I scratched it unconsciously till it opened back up and finished healing. You might try topical Benedryl for the itching.

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  28. One just flew onto my head and I swatted it away. I guess I was lucky I wasn't bitten �� I live in Oregon.

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  29. I actually found and caught one of these bugs in my little brother's room as it was sitting on a wall.

    My brother begged me not to kill it, but we feared it coming back inside or hurting one of out dogs outside...

    I was thinking about having it shipped to a science foundation, but I'm unsure of how to do that... Any help?

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    1. I suggest that you contact your local County Extension Service. You can find them in your phone directory or just enter your county name followed by "extension service" online. Or if you have a local university, contact their biology department and ask to speak to someone in entemology. Either one will be able to advise you.

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  30. There is one in my ceiling light cover and I don't know what to do.

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  31. Replies
    1. That is a medical question that I am not equipped to answer, sorry.

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  32. Just bit by this guy this morning. Picked up my jacket, put it on, darn thing bit me through my tshirt between shoulder blades.

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  33. One of these just flew next to my pillow. I tried to swat it away and it got me pretty good on the palm of my hand just below my thumb. The pain was horrible. Sharp pain followed by a burning sensation to the tip of my thumb. I’m left with a tiny red dot in the center of a welp. I didn’t do anything to it but it is pretty sore when I move my thumb. 10/10 do not recommend touching that thing. It took me so long to find this perfect description as I had never had an up close encounter with this particular bug.

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    1. I am so sorry you experienced this! Get well soon, do see a physician if symptoms persist or get out of proportion (shortness of breath, for example).

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  34. I'm trying to id the bug that bit my 7 year old. I think this is the bug. We are close to 24 hours out and the bite has swollen considerably. I've marked it to see if it continues to swell and will take her for medical treatment if it does. My pictures aren't great but I'm not sure I trust my id. Can I send you pics of the bug? I'm in Georgia, USA

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    1. Hope she is all better by now. Sorry, but I do not accept unsolicited images, for security reasons.

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  35. Years ago I was bitten by a Western Corsair on my left forefinger while camping in the jungles near San Blas, Mexico. My finger swelled to the size of a pickle and turned black & blue; the pain was undescribably excruciating for days!!!

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  36. I currently reside in Sacramento, CA, where the Western Corsairs are frequent and fly to lit porch lights, during the summer & fall, at night to feed on insects that are attracted to the illumination. I believe their populations are increasing due to the growing population of the invasive Turkestan Cockroach on which they
    can feed. I've seen grown men cry once bitten by these predacious carnivores.

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  37. My son jst got bit by one here in Arkansas

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  38. I was bitten really bad by one of these last year and I still find these in my home in Texas. I was bitten several times but the worst was on the eyelid for which I have photos. My bite was so bad it closed my eye completely for almost a week. Very painful

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    1. Ouch! I am so sorry that you had such a horrific experience.

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  39. I just found one on the bed. Exactly the same on the photos on file. It has somewhat an X on the body.
    Northern California.

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  40. Today I found this beetle in my apartment. I live in the southwestern part of Russia. I was very surprised. Usually these beetles live only in America.
    https://ibb.co/n6rpCcB
    https://ibb.co/kMV09rz

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  41. I just got bit on the toe it hurts I live in Utah

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    1. This species is not known from Utah. It may have been the very similar Masked Hunter, Reduvius personatus, instead.

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  42. Are these in northeastern nevada

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    1. This species does not occur there to my knowledge, no.

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  43. Not sure if this is what lives in my backyard. we are very shaded. I see them during the day on my son's playset

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    1. This species is almost strictly nocturnal, so I suspect it is another kind of insect.

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  44. Can I post a picture or email one to you of a bug I found that looks suspiciously similar to this one?. Sprayed my new plant with neem oil today after taking it home from an outdoor nursery yesterday and saw the insect about 3 feet away about an hour or less afterward

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    1. I cannot entertain third party images for security reasons, but I would recommend uploading images to iNaturalist, Bugguide, or even one of the many Facebook groups devoted to insect identification.

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