Wheel Bug Arilus cristatus (Linnaeus, 1763)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Hemiptera   >   Family Reduviidae   >   Genus Arilus   

Description:

The "wheel" on the adult's back is diagnostic. Note distinctive shape and red abdomen of nymphs.

Where to find:

Often found hunting among flowers where pollinators are active.

Relationships:

Adults and nymphs prey on a wide variety of other insects.

There are 542 records in the project database.

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A Wheel Bug preying upon a Japanese Beetle in Howard Co., Maryland (7/24/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/9/2014). Photo by Brandon Woo. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug with bee prey in Howard Co., Maryland (10/24/2016). Photo by Kevin Heffernan. (MBP list)

An adult Wheel Bug in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/6/2014). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

An adult Wheel Bug in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/4/2014). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/7/2015). Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

An adult Wheel Bug (close-up) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/27/2015). Photo by David Illig. (MBP list)

A close-up of an adult Wheel Bug in Baltimore Co., Maryland (11/8/2014). Photo by Wendy J. Alexander, Ph.D. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Caroline Co., Maryland (8/21/2005). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/5/2012). Photo by Andy Wilson. (MBP list)

Wheel Bugs in Washington Co., Maryland (10/18/2013). Photo by Amy Allen. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Kent Co., Maryland (9/7/2015). Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Worcester Co., Maryland (9/22/2014). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Howard Co., Maryland (8/29/2021). (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Judy Gallagher. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Carroll Co., Maryland (8/14/2021). Photo by Barbara Speckart. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/14/2022). (c) Lindsay D. Loyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Lindsay D. Loyd via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/4/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Harford Co., Maryland (9/4/2018). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/6/2012). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Washington Co., Maryland (7/5/2016). Photo by Derek Hudgins. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Prince George's Co., Maryland (11/14/2021). (c) spyingnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by spyingnaturalist via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/27/2015). "The shield on A. cristatus's elytron looks brown to the naked eye. Throw a lot of strobe light on it and it turns to pure gold!" Photo by David Illig. (MBP list)

Close-up of an adult Wheel Bug in Anne Arundel County, MD (6/28/2014). Photo by David Illig. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug in Harford Co., Maryland (8/23/2014). Photo by Bill Keim. (MBP list)

A damaged Wheel Bug in Montgomery Co., Maryland (10/28/2014). Comments from the photographer: "This one has had a blowout. I’m not sure what would do this kind of damage to an insect with a reputation for a nasty bite but have read somewhere on BugGuide that male coreids can to this sort of damage to each other. I haven’t seen anything suggesting that reduviids do the same." Photo by Steve Scholnick. (MBP list)

A molting Wheel Bug in Harford Co., Maryland (7/21/2013). Photo by Christine Yale. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/23/2021). (c) Carrie Seltzer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Carrie Seltzer via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph with prey in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/3/2015). Verified by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/28/2014). Photo by David Illig. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/26/2013). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph in Washington Co., Maryland (6/22/2020). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph at Great Falls, Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/4/2008). Photo by Ashley Bradford. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph molting in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/30/2014). Photo by Anna Letaw. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/21/2014). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug eggs in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (11/3/2022). (c) jdshide, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by jdshide via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug nymphs in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/16/2017). Photo by Richard Crook. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/15/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph in Dorchester Co., Maryland (6/6/2019). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug nymph at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (6/2/2013). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug eggs and nymphs in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/6/2017). Photo by Karyn Molines. (MBP list)

Wheel Bugs hatching in Harford Co., Maryland (6/4/2008). Photo by Billy Heinbuch. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug nymphs in Howard Co., Maryland (5/18/2019). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug in Harford Co., Maryland (5/17/2021). (c) mdhafner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matt Hafner. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug eggs in Calvert Co., Maryland (3/30/2007). Photo by Arlene Ripley. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug eggs in Calvert Co., Maryland (3/30/2007). Photo by Arlene Ripley. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug eggs in Calvert Co., Maryland (3/30/2007). Photo by Arlene Ripley. (MBP list)

Wheel Bug eggs in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (11/3/2022). (c) jdshide, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by jdshide via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

The cast skin of a Wheel Bug that molted to adult form in Ellicott City, Maryland (7/20/2013). Photo by Kurt Schwarz. (MBP list)

A Wheel Bug with Brown Marmorated Stink Bug prey in Washington Co., Maryland (10/25/2014). Photo by John R. Whitaker. (MBP list)


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