Its a jungle out there!

I guess that's why they have such an extreme-sounding name.
-O

Here's the type I see on my grape vines as they pick off Japanese beetles (which outnumber them 1000 to 1). I've avoided being bitten but would expect it to be rather painful.

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Vgkg, yours is the infamous Wheelbug. YES it hurts like h-e-double toothpicks when they stab you! There is probably good reason to avoid a personal confrontation if at all possible.

The attached link recommends seeing a physician, probably not a bad idea for anyone stabbed by an assassinbug or wheelbug.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wheel bug information

I think I have dozens of assassin bugs on my cherry tomatoes. They start out as aggregates of red, shiny, insects with black, spindly legs, and then go through various stages of morphs. They end up as brown-black, spindly legged insects with a little red on the most distal segments. They are not wheel bugs, as they don't have the wheel thing on their backs, just a slight prominence there.

What's confusing to me is that they actually appear to be sucking on the tomatoes. They are hanging out on the tomatoes and sticking their proboscis in them. Many tomatoes are looking shriveled like they've been sucked dry, and many are falling off. Doesn't really look like worm damage. Do assassin bugs do this? I thought they didn't hurt plants. The adults fly, so they cover a lot of ground in the veggie garden, but seem to prefer the cherry tomatoes.

I have become afraid of being bitten and actually don't even try to pick tomatoes anymore. One landed on me briefly today, and I freaked a little. Has anyone experienced tomato damage from these?

Thanks Dorie (Rhino) for the Wheel Bug site, will definitely avoid being bit/stung by that sucker, sounds pretty bad. Also good to know what the eggs look like too. vgkg

Mine have a bigger protrusion on their back end than vgkg's. Nasty buggers, they are. My finger is still a little numb and tight but otherwise it is fine.

Anna, these bugs don't eat tomatoes at all but will feast upon any bug that happens by. I suspect you may have leaf footed bugs. They love sucking on tomatoes.

Be sure what you have is what you think you have.

Here is a link that might be useful: Assasin bugs

I'm seeing more and more assasin bugs in my garden every year. They do indeed suck the life out of JB's. I saw one stalking JB's on my okra last year. A few weeks ago I spotted a few of the nymphs on my beans. Hopefully they're munching down on the bean beetle larva. I've read that they can pack a painful bite so I sure hope I don't aggravate one of 'em. Yikes!

Below is a site that has some the most awesome pictures of the different spicies of assasin bugs. A great site!!

Here is a link that might be useful: What's that bug

I have a small infestation of Tomato Hornworms on my cherry tomatoes, and have been hand picking the 1"-1.5" baby worms. I went out after dark to check for marauders, and found an epic battle was happening between an Assasin Bug and a Hornworm (see very bad photo!). I may risk a sting from the Assasin Bug, but any enemy of Hornworms is a friend of mine, and I'll allow them to stay. They are large enough to see easily, if you know to look, and I can give them a wide berth.

This is from December 2015: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/