Bug FAQSpined Assassin Bug
Sinea diadema · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Reduviidae
The spined assassin bug belongs to the assassin-bug family Reduviidae and the subfamily Harpactorinae. It lives in North-American grasslands, gardens and fields, often near goldenrod plants. Adults wait on blossoms for prey, and the species produces two generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are typically found in grasslands, gardens and fields. In the Midwest they are often associated with the goldenrod Solidago missouriensis.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They wait on blossoms for prey that comes by.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Sinea diadema has two generations per year (bivoltine).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The spined assassin bug is native to North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 47 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Minnesota, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Washington.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where does the spined assassin bug live?
It lives in North-American grasslands, gardens and fields, especially in the Midwest where it is often found near goldenrod.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this bug have each year?
It produces two generations per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Reduviidae)
North American Wheel BugArilus cristatusCan bite
Leafhopper Assassin BugZelus renardiiCan bite
Masked HunterReduvius personatusCan bite
Eastern Bloodsucking ConenoseTriatoma sanguisugaCan spread germs or disease
Western Bloodsucking ConenoseTriatoma protractaCan spread germs or disease
Pale Green Assassin BugZelus luridusCan biteSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinea_diadema
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.