24/06/2026
"Assassinated"
Happy , everyone! ๐๐ป
This image was taken a few weeks ago while I was on a family holiday in Mallorca, Spain. To be honest, I almost left my camera at home. I assumed there wouldnโt be enough spare time for photography between family activities, but at the last minute I decided to pack it anyway.
Iโm incredibly glad I did.
One morning, I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. and slipped out before the kids woke up to see what I could find. The early start was more than worth it. As the first light crept across the vegetation, I stumbled upon a remarkable scene: a red assassin bug (Rhynocoris cuspidatus) in the middle of a deadly encounter with an unsuspecting weevil (Lixus sp).
The weevil never stood a chance.
Assassin bugs are masters of stealth, lurking motionless among leaves and stems as they wait for prey to wander within striking distance. When the moment is right, they launch a lightning-fast attack, driving their needle-like proboscis into their victim. Once pierced, the assassin bug injects a powerful neurotoxic venom that quickly immobilises the prey while simultaneously liquefying its internal tissues.
With the hard work done, the assassin bug then uses its proboscis like a straw, slowly drawing out the nutrient-rich contents of its victim.
Nature can be beautiful, fascinating, and brutal all at onceโand witnessing this tiny drama unfold in the early morning was a moment I wonโt forget. ๐คฏ๐ธ
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F/6.3
1/50
ISO - 200
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๐ท OM SYSTEM OM-D EM1-MIII
๐ Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm + Raynox DCR 250
โก๏ธGodox Global V350o
๐กBrendan 'Cygnus' James ๐ธ๐ท๐ฆ๐ Diffuser *Link in bio*
๐งฉ 9 images bracketed
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