Masked Hunter
Reduvius personatus
Identification
- 9/10 inch long
- dark brown to black
- slender body
- immatures camouflage by covering themselves in dirt and debris
Nesting Habits
- garages, dirty closets, boiler rooms and other dirty, dusty areas
- occasionally enter bedrooms
Diet
- other arthropods
Significance
- occasionally found indoors and may bite, even if unprovoked
- considered a beneficial predatory insect
- does NOT transmit Chagas disease
IPM Recommendations
- Use door sweeps on all doors leading outside or into a garage or storage area.
- Eliminate other insects that serve as a food source.
- Vacuum regularly.
- Change exterior lighting to sodium vapor light bulbs.