Assassins in training

Images of undisturbed subjects in their natural environment. All subject types.

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leonardturner
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Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:40 am
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Assassins in training

Post by leonardturner »

_DSC2275WCDen.jpg

People have long found it amusing and sometimes descriptive to label groups of non-humans with titles: A Murder of Crows. A Covey of Quail. An Ostentation of Peacocks. So what could we call a congregation of assassin bugs? A Homicide? An Assault? An Assignation? Having thought about this for a while, I would propose "An Ambush of Assassins" or, since these are immature larval forms, perhaps "An Apprenticeship of Assassins".

Any other suggestions would be gratefully received!

This group hatched late last summer, hung around together for a couple of days, then went their separate ways to pursue maturity.

Leonard

MarkSturtevant
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Re: Assassins in training

Post by MarkSturtevant »

Very nice. They look translucent here.
A conspiracy of assassin bugs?
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

leonardturner
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Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:40 am
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Re: Assassins in training

Post by leonardturner »

Thanks, Mark. They did respond well to the backlit situation. Insofar as clutch-naming, it has just occurred to me that if a big adult nailed you with that military-grade proboscis you might be tempted to refer to the group as "An Abomination of Assassins", but I've always been a sucker for alliteration.

Leonard

MarkSturtevant
Posts: 1946
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:52 pm
Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
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Re: Assassins in training

Post by MarkSturtevant »

Wheel bugs (really big assassin bugs) are fearsome in that way. They don't seem to be around in my area, but I remember encountering them elsewhere. I would never pick one up. Nosir.
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

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