Arilus cristatus
Click on each image for enhanced/enlarged views.
North American wheel bug
or simply wheel bug,
a species of large assassin bug
in the family Reduviidae
and the only species of wheel bug
found in the United States.
The North American Wheel Bug is one of the largest terrestrial true bugs in North America, reaching up to 1.5 inches (38 mm) in length in its adult stage.
North American wheel bugs prey on caterpillars and beetles, such as Japanese beetles, the cabbage worm, orange dogs, tent caterpillars, and the Mexican bean beetle, all of which they pierce with their beak to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue.
The North American wheel bug is most active in daylight, but may engage in predatory behaviors at night in areas illuminated by lights.
It is considered beneficial since most of its prey are pests, however, I did not consider myself a pest and didn’t care for it as my sitting companion.
Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: Outdoor Seating Area; The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful Bug-Free week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 
Interesting, Deb! I’ve never seen one of these before, nor even heard of them. I would surely have wondered what it is, if I saw one in my travels.
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Thank you John! I had to google to find out what it was after we were back home.
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Oooo, Deb, … great captures, ….with me it’s a case of oh look and then a quick step back, … insects are part of nature, I know, but in this case the further away the better, … 😉
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I agree. Didn’t care that it tried to share my seat.
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That’s a monster
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It might be a small creature, but I surely didn’t like it when it moved from the back of the chair I was sitting in onto my lap. Needless to say I brushed him off onto the ground.
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