Ambush Bug (Phymatinae) on a Rose

In Albums: flowers nature favorites insects

Bright red rose blossom with a dark red and green ambush bug on its petals, blurry rose leaves and other foliage in the background

Aug 26th, 2003, by Alex Zorach

This ambush bug is lying in wait on this rose to capture a bee or other insect that arrives to pollinate the flower. Ambush bugs are predatory insects that rely on camouflage to surprise their prey. These bugs are beautiful and strikingly colored, often surprisingly well camouflaged for specific flowers or other settings.

This is the first ambush bug I saw live in the wild; it was in Lakewood, Ohio in a rose bush on a residential street.

You can also view a closeup of this ambush bug to see its powerful front legs.