Isyndus obscurus
One of the largest assassin bugs in its range, this species overwinters by hunting stink bugs sheltering in tree bark during autumn and winter.
| Where | Forests across East and South Asia |
|---|---|
| Size | 20 to 27 mm body length |
| When | March to November |
This assassin bug has a reddish brown body 20 to 27 millimeters long, covered densely in fine yellow hairs, with a long dark head, glossy black eyes and slender brown antennae. It typically rests on tree trunks and foliage in forested hill country.
Unlike most insects, it stays active into autumn and winter, when it hunts small arthropods including overwintering stink bugs sheltering in bark crevices. If picked up carelessly, it can jab the handler with its proboscis, producing a sharp, lingering pain.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Brown, Black
Active
Day
To people
Take care
Can jab with a painful proboscis stab if handled carelessly; best left undisturbed.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Glossy black body with pale yellow markings along the edge of the abdomen, instead of the uniform reddish brown, yellow haired body of this species.
Questions
Is Isyndus obscurus dangerous to people?
Take care. Can jab with a painful proboscis stab if handled carelessly; best left undisturbed.
When can you see Isyndus obscurus?
Isyndus obscurus can be seen from March to November, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Kim, Hyun-tae, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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True bugs›Assassin bugs›Isyndus
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.