Pale green assassin bug
This ambush predator smears sticky glue from glands on its front legs onto its own body, then waits motionless for insects to walk into the trap.
| Where | Trees and shrubs, eastern North America |
|---|---|
| Size | 13 to 19 mm body length |
| When | April to October |
The pale green assassin bug is pale green overall, with wings that often look tan or brown and leg joints tinged reddish. A pair of spines projects from the rear corners of its shield shaped pronotum, the most reliable mark for telling it apart from related bugs.
Adults and nymphs hunt among foliage from spring through fall, spreading a sticky secretion from leg glands onto dense hairs on the front legs, then using the glue to trap leafhoppers, small caterpillars and other insects. It bites in self defense only if it is handled or pressed against skin.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Green, Brown
Active
Day
To people
Mild
Bites only if handled or pressed against skin; the pain is sharp but passes without lasting harm.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
The milkweed assassin bug has bold red and black coloring with spines running along the sides of its pronotum, unlike the plain pale green body and rear-corner-only pronotal spines of the pale green assassin bug.
Questions
Is the Pale green assassin bug dangerous to people?
Mild. Bites only if handled or pressed against skin; the pain is sharp but passes without lasting harm.
When can you see the Pale green assassin bug?
The Pale green assassin bug can be seen from April to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Tom Field, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.