Four-Spurred Assassin Bug

Four-Spurred Assassin Bug

Zelus tetracanthus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Saguaro National Park

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%

26 Verified sightings at Saguaro National Park From 2019 to 2026
59 In all 6 parks
November Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Four-Spurred Assassin Bug

Zelus tetracanthus, the four-spurred assassin bug, is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae. It is found in the Caribbean Sea, Central America, North America, and South America. Adults are brown, black, or gray and have a body length of 10–16 mm. Their antennae and legs are long and slender. They have a row of four spurs across their thorax. Both adults and nymphs use a sticky secretion to capture prey. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Ciudad Juárez 🇲🇽 México
~10%
2 Mesa 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Las Vegas 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Phoenix 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Salt Lake City 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
7 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 San Antonio 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Four-Spurred Assassin Bug in Saguaro National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Four-Spurred Assassin Bug sighting in Saguaro National Park on a given day, based on 26 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 88th most-seen of the 354 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Four-Spurred Assassin Bug in Saguaro National Park?

February–March and May–December

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Four-Spurred Assassin Bug in Saguaro National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January and April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Four-Spurred Assassin Bug?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Four-Spurred Assassin Bug sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Saguaro National Park the best place to see a Four-Spurred Assassin Bug?

Among the best

Of the 6 parks where we can rate Four-Spurred Assassin Bug sightings, Saguaro National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Death Valley National Park (United States, about 10%).

Where does the Four-Spurred Assassin Bug sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Four-Spurred Assassin Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Saguaro National Park (26 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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