A black white-spotted assassin bug with red leg bands on bark. — Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

White-Spotted Assassin Bug

Platymeris biguttata

A black African assassin bug with two big white spots that stabs insect prey with its beak and injects digestive juices.

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About the White-Spotted Assassin Bug

White-spotted assassin bugs, also called white-eyed assassin bugs, live in drier parts of southern Africa. They have two large white spots on their wing covers. They hide in groups under peeling bark, logs and rocks and come out at night to hunt soft-bodied insects. Caterpillars are a favorite.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Platymeris biguttata^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Soft-bodied insects, especially caterpillars.^[1]
Habitat: Under peeling bark, logs and rocks in dry areas.^[1]
Where it lives: Drier regions of southern Africa.^[1]
Group life: Hides in groups; hunts at night.^[1]
Conservation status: Common; not endangered. Not assessed by the IUCN.^[1]

Fun facts

Assassin bugs turn their prey's insides to liquid.^[1]
Several assassin bugs can team up on large prey.^[1]
Its two white spots give it the name "white-eyed" assassin bug.^[1]

Vocabulary

enzyme: A chemical that speeds up a process, like breaking down food.
paralyze: To make unable to move.
true bug: An insect with mouthparts shaped for piercing and sucking.
predator: An animal that hunts other animals for food.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.

See it in person

San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · InvertebratesSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
Oakland ZooOakland, California · House of BugsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “White-eyed Assassin Bug.” https://www.sfzoo.org/white-eyed-assassin-bug/ (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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