Abstract
This chapter reviews the ecology of assassin bugs with special reference to their microhabitats, habitats, relationship between their structural adaptations and habitats, adaptive ecotypic and polymorphic adaptations, and the factors governing their population dynamics. The biology of assassin bugs covering information on fecundity, hatchability, postembryonic development, nymphal mortality, sex ratio, adult longevity, life table, growth pattern, and parental care are described. The prey records of 182 assassin bugs preying upon 267 insect pests belonging to diverse orders of Insecta are given. The ecophysiological factors that affect the postembryonic development are discussed. The predatory behavior, prey capture strategies, and defensive and offensive behaviors and mimicry accompanied by morphological adaptations are dealt with. Impacts of prey deprivation, competition, and space effect on predation are mentioned. The courtship behavior and its impact on postembryonic development and the oviposition behavior are also given. The prey and the stage preferences of reduviid predators and the factors that govern them are dealt with.
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