Researchers from China Agricultural University, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the Institute of Zoology of CAS have documented how P. piliceps collects resin from bee nests using its fore- and mid-legs. This resin, typically used by bees to ward off intruders, is instead transformed into a lure by the predator, attracting guard bees into striking range.
Stingless bees normally deposit sticky, aromatic resin around their nest entrances to immobilize unwanted intruders, triggering aggressive swarming behavior. However, the assassin bug exploits this defense, coating itself in the resin to enhance the chemical signals that draw bees to its precise location. This tactic turns the bees' defensive strategy against them, creating a deadly trap.
"This is a sophisticated manipulation of prey behavior," said WANG Zhengwei from XTBG. "The bug doesn't just avoid detection-it actively provokes attacks to create opportunities."
Field experiments demonstrated that assassin bugs coated with resin had a 75% predation success rate, compared to less than 30% for those without the adhesive coating. Interestingly, even resin applied to non-hunting body parts like the abdomen provided some benefit, suggesting that the resin's stickiness is less critical than the volatile compounds it releases.
As a specialist predator, P. piliceps relies entirely on stingless bees for its survival, a dependency that likely drove the evolution of this unique tool-use behavior. This finding challenges the long-held view that complex tool use requires advanced cognition, showing that even insects can develop sophisticated hunting strategies through evolutionary pressure.
Research Report:Tool use aids prey-fishing in a specialist predator of stingless bees
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