Wheel Bug Facts: the BUG with a WHEEL on its BACK | Animal Fact Files

A wheel bug is an assassin bug with a wheel on its back. The wheel has eight to twelve spokes. Its currently unknown why a wheel bug has a wheel on its back. Perhaps it's to warn of the wheel bug's painful piercing "bite"! Learn more wheel bug facts on this episode of Animal Fact Files!
Scientific Name: Arilus cristatus
Range: North and Central America
Habitat: meadows, trees, bushes, etc. where prey are abundant
Size: adults can reach over an inch (2.5cm) in length
Diet: beetles, caterpillars, butterflies, locusts, etc.
Threats: parasitic wasps
Lifespan: approximately a year from egg to death
✨ Animal Fact Files Patreon Supporters get early access to videos, their requests made first, exclusive content, and more! ✨
👉 / animalfactfiles
MORE FACTS ABOUT "TRUE" BUGS ON ANIMAL FACT FILES
Kissing Bug Facts - • Kissing Bug facts: smo...
Stink Bug Facts - • Stink Bug Facts: the S...
There's more to learn! Exclusive videos on social media:
🎵 TikTok - / animalfactfilesyt
📸 Instagram - / animalfactfiles
🐦 Twitter - / animalfactfiles
📚 Facebook - / animalfactfiles
---
Wheel Bug APPEARANCE 0:00
Wheel Bug RANGE and HABITAT 0:31
Wheel Bug DIET 0:47
Wheel Bug DANGEROUS! 1:36
Wheel Bug SIZE and NYMPHS 1:48
Wheel Bug ODOR 2:20
Wheel Bug LIFE CYCLE 2:40
Thanks! 3:26
---
Image and Video Credits:
Alison Thomer - flickr.com/photos/thomera/106...
Judy Gallagher - flickr.com/photos/52450054@N0... ; flickr.com/photos/52450054@N0... ; flickr.com/photos/52450054@N0... ; flickr.com/photos/52450054@N0... ; flickr.com/photos/52450054@N0... ; flickr.com/photos/52450054@N0... ; www.flickr.com/photos/5245005...
Thomas Shahan - flickr.com/photos/49580580@N0...
Esteve Conaway - flickr.com/photos/esteveconaw...
Brian Gratwicke - flickr.com/photos/briangratwi...
photochem_PA - flickr.com/photos/58431807@N0...
Pests and Natural Enemies - • Wheel bug (assassin bu... ; • Wheel bug (assassin bu... ; • Wheel bug (assassin bu...
AnneBeck58 - • Assassin!
Peter Kuttner - vimeo.com/160719276
Thrakkerzog - commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Research Credits:
entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/...
extensionentomology.tamu.edu/...
lucec.loyno.edu/natural-histo...
bugguide.net/node/view/454
www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRp...
aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/g...
growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.ed...
#animalfactfiles
#wheelbug
#wheelbugfacts

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Have you ever seen a wheel bug? I didn't know what it was when I first saw one, but the common name makes sense! Check out these other bug facts on AFF: Stink Bug Facts - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnnFhJJsodaAbKc ✨ Animal Fact Files Patreon Supporters get early access to videos, their requests made first, exclusive content, and more! ✨ 👉 www.patreon.com/animalfactfiles

[@AspireGMD]

One time one of these things got in me and my dads house on the US's east coast, we were handling it and letting it crawl all over us wondering what the hell it was, assuming it couldn't bite because it's mouth looked like a tiny tube. Needless to say, after finding out this calm cool bug was an ASSASSIN bug that can produce a hellish bite, we were horrified that we let it crawl all over us lol.

[@thecianinator]

Same lol, me and a friend found one in southern Maryland and let it crawl on us, passed it back and forth, put it on our shoulder like a parrot and walked around... Took me years to find out what the thing was. I was quite shocked when I found it that we had been in danger of getting hurt.

[@AspireGMD]

@@thecianinatorWestern Maryland here, I have yet to see another one since then but I guess this is their land now. 😂

[@emilywenig4390]

I hear similar testimonies from people. These bugs seem surprisingly docile.

[@jadecouncil5501]

Hahaha! You were like those Indian cobra whispers

[@jsan3743]

I found a huge one and it was right above the door to my office. I’m not usually intimidated by bugs but this one freaked me out. It was watching me. If I walked to the left, it turned to the left and vice versa. I didn’t know what it was initially but instincts kicked in and told me not to go near it.

[@koammudo43]

Same saw one and it was so smart . Moved like a praying mantis

[@mrringtalesworkshop]

I had a wheel bug bite me inside my ear as a teen, it caused the worst ear infection I've ever had. It was so bad and swollen in my ear canal that I could hardly open my jaw without feeling like I was getting stabbed. It was terrible.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Oh gosh that sounds awful 😭

[@lisah6590]

How awful :(

[@user-jm5zb2hf6t]

@@AnimalFactFilesyea😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@lisah6590]

I live in PA and one day I saw it on my arm (covered in a jacket) as I was driving home. I stayed calm and opened my window and rested my arm on it. It didn't move at all. I stopped at a gas station and took off my jacket. It still did not move off my jacket. I got it on a piece of paper and put it on the ground. If I had known how bad the bite was I would have pulled over sooner. I looked up wheel bug and immediate say that was it's name.

[@crawhey]

The wheel bug is a real bug. It is a wheal bug.

[@kingLorshi]

Darn you I was going to make that joke lol

[@toyfan2812]

Well I was today years old when I found out these bugs existed

[@ronox950]

That grass hopper teleported

[@jamiekersey87]

Im laying in bed and my husband and i hear something pecking on the window. Then i turned my light on and see this bug. So now im here looking up a video.

[@derrickhageman1969]

Yeah a wheel bug bite is definitely worse than a hornet sting unlike most wasp stings which have less burn but more of a numbing effect the wheel bug has a strong burn effect to it's bite but less numbing to it

[@fortyoz.4350]

im an arborist so i see them often. they seem very aware of their surroundings like a praying mantis.

[@MajinValerie]

I found a hurt wheel bug at work. :( I’m watching this to learn about my new friend ! ❤

[@kennethwood88]

You don't want to get stung by one. I called for medical assistance because it was so painful.

[@farcenter]

wheel bugs are real bugs

[@jadecouncil5501]

The REAL BUG ORDER! 🤘🏻🏴‍☠️

[@IAmAKay]

There is one on my porch right now. I thought it was a wolf spider at first. It's still super creepy looking.

[@daletacademyvideolearning9958]

Thank you

[@NightBladeSpearichu]

These seem to popping up in my area of central Virginia more with each year.

[@HelloNewMoon]

Saw one in central NJ. I was super confused (im from FL). We took the kids off the deck and put them inside until it was gone. They do have lots of stink bugs around so makes sense

[@entity3383]

Central Florida here, I can say that we have them here around and hour from Orlando

[@BigBoiRedFrog]

Nice video.....

[@cottton]

omg its gigan

[@indyreno2933]

Can you do fact files on the yak (Poephagus grunniens)?

[@eunaekim9216]

I'm wondering if this is what attacked me when I was a young woman. If I remember right it was so painful that I had to take pain pills!

[@kathyholcomb724]

I'm 57 years old, and I live in Ohio. I've never come across one of these! I used to be a huge tomboy and still never seen one. Thank God I didn't. Creepy thing, isn't it?

[@user-rb8tu8ie9o]

Me and my friend found one 😊

[@nickirmen6671]

Man, if I knew these guys were assassin bugs as a dumbass kid, I wouldn't have grabbed them fearlessly and frequently

[@CosmicRabbitCarma]

Hey, Animal Fact Files, check out The Dodo KZbin channel: today's video, "Woman's back yard is a mini Jurassic Park." The Dodo sometimes has videos of exotic animals. Another channel you might like to check out is Geobeats Animals. Thnx. 🦃

[@marvalice3455]

obviously they have it because evolution is still trying to work out how to get wheeled insects, and this guy is just one step on the path. lol

[@erstwhilegrubstake]

It evolved this because it's cool. That's how evolution works. :)

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

@@erstwhilegrubstake they remind me of a dinosaur, perhaps they carry similar genetics

[@erstwhilegrubstake]

@@SUGAR_XYLER It sort of reminds me of a Bic lighter. I wonder if it shoots flames if you spin the wheel with your thumb? 🙂

[@freshmanchan]

​@@erstwhilegrubstakeget bit by one it feels like it shoots you up and ignites you with lighter fluid.

[@erstwhilegrubstake]

@@freshmanchan Sounds intriguing, tell me more!

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

Insects are not animals. Learn the difference

[@najicodm8405]

They are

[@4488codster]

What are they then, fungi? You might want to take a look at the kingdoms of life again.

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

@@4488codster Insects have 6 legs. Animals have 2 and are warm blooded and have bones! That's the difference

[@4488codster]

@SUGARXYLER I think you're thinking of mammals. Mammals are warm blooded and have four legs. Insects and mammals are both kinds of animals.