Wheel Bug
Arilus cristatus
This bug has been reportedly found in the following regions:
Bessemer, Alabama
Vincent, Alabama
Barling, Arkansas
Huntsville, Arkansas
Malvern, Arkansas
Molino, Florida
Saint Petersburg, Florida
Barnesville, Georgia
Woodstock, Georgia
Coatesville, Indiana
Flora, Indiana
Rushville, Indiana
Bennington, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Osage City, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Benton, Kentucky
Laurel, Maryland
Millersville, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland
Marietta, Mississippi
Cole Camp, Missouri
Jackson, Missouri
Saint Robert, Missouri
Stoutland, Missouri
Mantua, New Jersey
Apex, North Carolina
Beulaville, North Carolina
Canton, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Concord, North Carolina
Ellerbe, North Carolina
Mount Airy, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Cincinnati, Ohio(2 reports)
Alva, Oklahoma
Durant, Oklahoma
Wilburton, Oklahoma
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
Irwin, Pennsylvania
Macungie, Pennsylvania
Meshoppen, Pennsylvania
Millersburg, Pennsylvania
Montoursville, Pennsylvania
New Enterprise, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Belton, South Carolina
Lexington, South Carolina
Pikeville, Tennessee
Allen, Texas
Austin, Texas
Cibolo, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas(2 reports)
Houston, Texas
Snyder, Texas
Onley, Virginia
Reston, Virginia
Sterling, Virginia
Strasburg, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
show all
femailmailman
AgentOK
swede3151
Tunein116
lima471
lizzzard01
palaytiasdreams
Long story short, I'm on antibods. and keeping a warm compress on it.
Had my daughter not found one of these buggers climbing on the desk we'd have just thought it was a "frankenskeeter" This site helped to confirm it's not.
Thanks!
Pal...
jmarsz
I flung it away and came back after rinsing the bite under cold water and applying much pressure beneathe the bite, as I had no idea what this thing was.
It is now in a ball jar and it is very mean looking.
I wanted to note that as I was capturing the bug and for a while in the jar, the end of his butt was red. he has stopped struggling and the butt is not red anymore.
After shaking him around a little, it appears that his butt turns back o red, or glows like the end of a cigarette.
The previous posts are right in that this bite hurts!
Thank you for identifying this thing.
n3yqx
redmoran
SimbiDlo
melody
They are one of the Good Guys, eating other insects and preying on some of the most destructive inhabitants in the garden.
jtr2888
The ones I have seen are grey/black with some brown on their wings. The nymph is bright red and black.
A Wheel Bug's mouth is like a syringe. It plunges it into its prey and eats kind of like a spider. I'm not an expert, this is just based off of what I've read and seen.
I don't mind them as they eat the Japanese Beetles that try to snack on my rose bush. I wouldn't pick them up. According to the insect guides I've checked, they will bite if harassed. I've never been bitten, but I have heard it’s like a bee sting.
In my experience they are not aggressive, and fairly ... read more