Assassination Attempt !

[RockOne]

Two assassin bugs with daggers drawn, close in on a grasshopper. Wish I had a little more DOF to work with on this one :-(. Not sure what happened. I often see these bugs around the grasshoppers, but I've never seen a dead grasshopper anywhere (and the grasshoppers don't seem to notice they are under attack).

[Dragonslayer]

Maybe these assasins were to small to be a threat, I agree a little more DOF here would have been nice but I think you did a great job covering your bases here and showing the bugs ready to attack this grasshopper, I think if you could have gotten a lower angle here would have worked nicely also.

[Leorooster]

Great capture, Steve. How big are these bugs?

[Ballen Photo]

WOW! This is interesting. I wonder if these assasin bugs could actually kill a Grasshopper? :shock: Thanks for sharing. :D
-Bruce

[dancinec]

Wonderful capture, being there at the right time. Are grasshoppers a big problem down your way?

[andygrif]

Wow...interesting little critters

[Bald Eagle]

excellent capture of a murder in progress. Very well done. Impressive.

[RockOne]

Thanks all.
Leo the bugs are around 1 to 1.5 cm.
I wonder if these assasin bugs could actually kill a Grasshopper? Thats an interesting question that I am hoping to find an answer to.
Dennis, these particular grasshoppers aren't a problem (actually if you didn't go looking for them you'd probably never know they existed), but occasionally there are plague locust swarms (mostly to the north and west though).

[lxmcc]

I didn't even notice the grasshopper until you mentioned it. I think I need my eyes checked

[RockOne]

Thankx lxmcc. You don't need your eyes checked. These grasshoppers are really well camoflagued and easily overlooked. Sometimes you see one, and then have a closer look and they are 3 or 4 more nearby that you didn't see. Don't think their camo is effective against assassin bugs though :-) !