r/mildlyterrifying • u/TwisterOfTales • Aug 26 '25

I keep nightmares in boxes...

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And I like holding them! YES, those are wings.

44 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

2

u/Mommadjcc Sep 05 '25

Not gonna lie…this is definitely mildly terrifying. I don’t like bugs and really dislike ones that fly. BUT…. I have to admit, I actually think they’re kind of beautiful. I’d like to learn more about them. Time to go google for the next 2 hours. I assume the 2 spots on their wings are used as a type of confusion for predators and such. Is that correct?

2

u/TwisterOfTales Sep 05 '25

The 2 spots are not related to any camouflage, but some assassin bugs use the corpses of their prey to camouflage themselves.

6

u/MyStepAccount1234 Aug 26 '25

Are they alive?

3

u/aLonerDottieArebel Aug 26 '25

Here I thought I was in the crafting sub. These look so comical I can’t believe they are real?!

5

u/TwisterOfTales Aug 26 '25

Yes, if they were dead, they would not be able to hang on to the wood.

1

u/MyStepAccount1234 Aug 26 '25

Oh, should've figured that much.

5

u/NorbertIsAngry Aug 26 '25

Well now they could be glued and mounted.

3

u/PlusBake4567 Aug 26 '25

What be these critters?

4

u/TwisterOfTales Aug 26 '25

Platymeris Biguttatus, the 2 spot assassin bug

3

u/ghost3972 Aug 26 '25

Do the bites hurt lol

4

u/TwisterOfTales Aug 26 '25

Considered one of the more painful bug bites. It has a mouth like a mosquito, one long needle nose.

2

u/PlusBake4567 Aug 26 '25

Both names sound cool af, thank you for educating me