# Identify this insect **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 25, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685 "2005-11-25T15:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/1 "2005-11-25T15:54:33Z")
I had an unusual-looking insect on my deck. Its body looked like a leaf, its head had a serrated ridge and a single hook/claw coming from the middle of its head. It was about an inch long, plus a pair of long antennae. What was it? ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/2 "2005-11-25T16:05:08Z")
[katydid?](http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/katydid.html) ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/3 "2005-11-25T16:10:21Z")
[what?](http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&id=c31Yfp2Xk_cC&dq=what+katy+did&prev=http://www.google.co.uk/search%3Fq%3Dwhat%2Bkaty%2Bdid&pg=PP1&printsec=0&lpg=PP1&sig=YoJYoNSB3hLONaIQV9Is_pd-olg) ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/4 "2005-11-25T16:27:39Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > [katydid?](http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/katydid.html) Nope. To expand - the body looks like a dead & dried leaf - a gray/brown color. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/5 "2005-11-25T16:40:54Z")
Preying Mantis? A little better description? ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/6 "2005-11-25T18:05:40Z")
> [@Harmonious Discord](#): > > Preying Mantis? > > A little better description? I’d hoped that the claw growing out of its head was unusual enough. Anyway, it was still there when I went outside, so here is a [photo](http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=32404656/PictureID=932180448/a=37699599_37699599/t_=37699599). ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/7 "2005-11-25T18:24:50Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > I’d hoped that the claw growing out of its head was unusual enough. Anyway, it was still there when I went outside, so here is a [photo](http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=32404656/PictureID=932180448/a=37699599_37699599/t_=37699599). I believe it’s one of the assassin bugs, this one in particular being known as a wheel bug. The “claw” is actually a proboscis for injecting venom into prey, or into you if you aren’t careful. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/8 "2005-11-25T18:34:40Z")
> [@Brain Wreck](#): > > I believe it’s one of the assassin bugs, this one in particular being known as a wheel bug. The “claw” is actually a proboscis for injecting venom into prey, or into you if you aren’t careful. [You got it.](http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Galleries/Insect_Galleries_by_Order/all_orders_real_life_pix/hemiptera/assassin_bug/real_assassin_bug.htm) And looking at the detailed picture, I see that the serrated bit is actually its back, not head, and the upper part of the “claw” is actually its head. Thanks for your help. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/9 "2005-11-25T18:40:20Z")
> [@](#): > > The “claw” is actually a proboscis for injecting venom into prey, or into you if you aren’t careful. I’d like to amplify this warning – do not irritate this insect. Assassin bug bites make bee stings feel like orgasms. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/10 "2005-11-25T18:51:07Z")
> [@yBeayf](#): > > I’d like to amplify this warning – do not irritate this insect. Assassin bug bites make bee stings feel like orgasms. Anybody got a bee handy? ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/11 "2005-11-25T19:37:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Anybody got a bee handy? You’ll want to have an assassin bug handy as well. The excruciating pain caused by its bite will turn the bee sting into bliss. (n.b. I’ve not been bitten or stung by either of them. This knowledge comes solely from watching other people attacked by them, on multiple occasions. Bee sting == ow. Assassin bug bite == weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. I’ve never felt inclined to personally test the theory myself.) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/12 "2005-11-26T02:47:33Z")
That is one ugleeeee insect. ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/13 "2005-11-26T17:36:11Z")
I had an assassin bug that had gotten into my house last summer feeding off me during the night. I had no idea why I was waking up with nasty, oozy welts. Finally found the bugger, and smashed the shit out of it. The biting stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/14 "2005-11-26T17:56:44Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > I had an assassin bug that had gotten into my house last summer feeding off me during the night. I had no idea why I was waking up with nasty, oozy welts. Finally found the bugger, and smashed the shit out of it. The biting stopped. MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! _wraps cape around self, turns into bat, flies away_ ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/15 "2005-11-30T07:32:39Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! > > _wraps cape around self, turns into bat, flies away_ Son of a biatch! wait…are you one of those really hot vampires? If so, come back…I’ll leave the window open. 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yukionna78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/f19dbf/32.png) [@yukionna78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yukionna78)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/16 "2005-11-30T07:45:05Z")
Holy crap, that thing wouldn’t be alive long enough for me to wonder what it was! Just looking at the picture scares me! They’re even scarier than potato bugs and I didn’t think that was possible. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/17 "2005-11-30T09:42:28Z")
I don’t know exactly _what_ it is that possesses me to look at these pictures, but I do. I’ll never learn… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/332685/18 "2005-11-30T15:37:43Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > wait…are you one of those really hot vampires? YES! Where: hot = short & fat