Linnean Podcast #56: Assassin Bugs

Published: Jan. 9, 2023, 10 a.m.

b'Predators that hunt dangerous prey require specialized predatory tactics to avoid counter-attack. Usually, these predatory tactics reduce the probability of detection. The assassin bugs Stenolemus bituberus and S. giraffa rely on stealth or mimicry to prey on dangerous web-building spiders. Paradoxically, however, these assassin bugs tap the spiders with their antennae prior to attacking, leaving the bugs vulnerable to detection and counter-attack. \\n\\n\\nInterviewer and producer: Ross Ziegelmeier\\nSpeaker: Anne Wignall'