Ambush bugs look like little toy gobots - they are tiny armored aliens with little heads, huge forearms, and a rock hard body.

They sit on sunflowers or goldenrods and wait for unsuspecting bees. I have been told they grab bees by their tongues (the bees tongue) and hold it long enough to inject it with a paralyzing substance.

I have always been fascinated by them, primarily because of the way they blend into the flowers until they are almost invisible.

Last Sunday I was searching sunflowers for Ambush bugs and came across one that was holding a bee by the tongue!!! I could not believe it - Here was what I read about in action. As I watched intently I noticed the ambush bug had apparently just caught the bee, as the bee was still covered with pollen. Imagine the power of the forearms of the ambush bug - to hold a superbly flying insect larger than itself until it can paralyze it!! As I watched the ambush bug and the bee, I saw the bee move, ever so slightly - still fighting the influence of the ambush bugs paralyzing agent.