How assassin bugs use sticky plant resin to help catch a meal

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The insects would cover their bodies in sticky resin, particularly their front legs

Evidence suggests that humans have used tools for millions of years and now a study reckons that assassin bugs use them too.

Researchers from Macquarie University in Australia say the insects use a sticky substance found on certain types of grass to help catch prey.

So how do these sticky assassins hunt down their food?

Assassin bugs and their sticky success

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The study found that even freshly hatched assassin bugs used the resin

As part of the study bugs were collected then introduced potential prey, with access to leaves of spinifex grass.

The scientists wanted to test if the bugs used spinifex's sticky resin in hunting for food.

Fernando Soley and Marie Herberstein - who are behind the work - noticed that males, females and freshly hatched bugs all scraped resin off leaves and covered their bodies in it.

Did the sticky resin work for the assassin bugs?

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Sticky business for these hungry mini-beasts

The insects took special care to make sure that their forelegs got a good coating!

Bugs that had access to the resin were 26% more successful at catching prey than those without.

Using the sticky substance resin didn't always guarantee success, but researchers say it appeared to slow down the bug's prey just enough for the assassin bugs to grasp and attack it.