4 Weird Bugs You Might See in Sydney
- kayleighgreig
- Sep 13
- 6 min read
Editorial Assistant Helio Russell highlights four unusual creatures you might see crawling (or flying) around Sydney.
From the red-back spider to the red-bellied black snake, Australia is known for its creepy crawlies. But how well do you really know the bugs in your backyard? Here are four critters in and around Sydney that prove nature is as brutal as it is bizarre.
Assassin Bug - Reduviidae
What it looks like:
A flightless insect, usually black and brown, with a long, pointed proboscis you don’t want to be on the wrong end of.[1]
Where to find it:
There are many Australian species of assassin bug, each with slightly different habits. For instance, you’re likely to find the feather-legged assassin bugs under the bark of eucalyptus trees, while the termite assassin bugs can be found under a range of fallen trees and logs, or even garages; anywhere you can find their prey.[2, 3] Both species live on the East Coast.
Weird fact:
As the name implies, the assassin bug makes for a nasty predator in the insect world. Its sizable proboscis, or rostrum, is filled with a powerful saliva that dissolves its prey from the inside out.[4]
The details of the kill vary from species to species. The feather-legged assassin bug excretes a scented substance from its legs that lures ants, who are paralysed and then sucked dry upon licking the substance.[5] The termite assassin bug injects its rostrum into a termite tunnel, and feasts upon the termites who attack.[6] There’s even an Australian species who plucks the strings of a spider web to imitate prey stuck in the web, and then feeds on the spider when it comes to investigate.[7] It’s best to admire this species from afar, as its bite can cause painful swelling in humans.[8]
Saunders Case Moth - Metura elongatus
What it looks like:
An orange-and-black caterpillar with three strong sets of front legs, identifiable by its distinctive mobile home (more on that in a second). It remains a caterpillar for up to two years, but after pupating, males sport a hairy head and black wings. Female adults are wingless and remain in their case.[9]
Where to find it:
In Australia’s Eastern states and territories.[10] They aren’t picky about their environment, and are unfazed by urban development. You might find them on power poles and in backyards.[11]
Weird fact:
The Saunders’ case moth is part of a group of insects known as bagworms, or Psychidae. Species in this family are unique because of their cases, which they spin out of silk and attach leaves, sticks, detritus, or sand grains to.[12] The worms spend most of their lives in these cases and can be identified by how they decorate them - the Saunders’ Case Moth starts with leaves and then attaches short lengths of stick lengthwise and at widely spaced intervals.[13] For insects, they’re impressive designers.
Giant Dragonfly - Petulara gigantea
What it looks like:
As the name implies, the giant dragonfly looks like a regular dragonfly, only huge. Of Australia’s 325 species of dragonfly and damselfly,[14] it’s the third largest, and one of the largest in the world.[15] It has brown-black and yellow colouring, and females can reach a length of 9.5cm, with a 12.5cm wingspan. Males are slightly smaller, but are still quite large, with a wingspan of 11cm.[16] To compare, the Australia-wide common bluetail damselfly only reaches a wingspan of 4cm.[17]
Where to find it:
In coastal swamps and wetlands on Australia’s East Coast.[18]
Weird fact:
Other than its impressive and unique size, there’s not much distinguishing the giant dragonfly on its own, but they were recently at the center of an exciting conservation story.
Giant dragonflies are an “umbrella species” for upland swamps, meaning their protection helps ensure the protection of the whole ecosystem. This makes it important to track their distribution. That’s why New South Wales’ EOMRP, (Environmental Outcomes Monitoring and Response Program) has developed a novel eDNA (environment DNA) method to track the endangered species even when you can’t see them. The method works by combining eDNA sampling with water base modelling, allowing scientists to detect traces of the species in swamp water. As of March, it had already been used to confirm two suspected populations.[19] By understanding the species distribution, scientists can better comprehend how the species responds to threats in their environment, such as higher temperatures, reduced groundwater, and erosion.[20] This exciting development facilitates the protection of upland swamps, as well as opens the door to the detection of other elusive swamp-dwelling species.
Cloak and Dagger Cuckoo Bee - Thyreus nitidulus
What it looks like:
A bee with a striking metallic blue and black colouring and black wings. It could be mistaken for the native blue-banded bee, but the cloak and dagger cuckoo degree is more vivid.[21]
Where to find it:
This species of native bee can be found in most of Australia, in urban areas, woodlands, forests and heaths.[22]
Weird fact:
To understand what makes the cloak and dagger cuckoo bee unique, we must turn to its lookalike, the blue-banded bee. The females of this species get together to build burrow nests, in which they lay their eggs and leave reserves of nectar and pollen for their larvae to feed on once they emerge. That’s where our bee comes in – she sneaks into the burrow nest and lays her own eggs in hopes they’ll hatch first. If they do, her young eat all the provisions and pupate, leaving the blue-banded larvae to starve to death upon hatching. This bee is named after the cuckoo bird, which has a similar approach to its offspring.[23]
If you’re looking to learn more about insects in your area, there are some good online resources you can use. Natural history museums like the Australian Museum will have a lot of information, as well as online databases like the Atlas of Living Australia (ala.org.au), or the Australian Native Bee Research Centre’s Native Bee ID Guide (aussiebee.com.au). There’s also projectnoah.org, a site where you can upload wildlife photography and get suggestions for species ID from other users - but keep in mind crowdsourced information might not be completely accurate!
References:
[1] Assassin bug. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 April 2025. https://www.britannica.com/animal/assassin-bug, accessed 17 April 2025.
[2] Feather-legged Assassin bug. Australian Museum, 7 August 2024. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/feather-legged-assassin-bug/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[3] Casimir, M. “Tegea Atropica STXL (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), an Unusual Predator of Termites.” Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, vol.85, no. 392-393. pp 230-232, and Termite Assassin bug. Australian Museum, 10 September 2024. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/termite-assassin-bug/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[4] Feather-legged Assassin bug. Australian Museum, 7 August 2024. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/feather-legged-assassin-bug/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Termite Assassin bug. Australian Museum, 10 September 2024. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/termite-assassin-bug/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[7] Assassin bug. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 April 2025. https://www.britannica.com/animal/assassin-bug, accessed 17 April 2025.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Murray, Melissa. Saunder’s case moth. Australian Museum, 2024, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/case-moths/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Broadberry, Joan. “Saunders Case Moth “Metura elongatus” colonies in Melbourne, Victoria.” The Victorian Naturalist, vol 138, no.4, 2021, pp 121–124.
[12] Broadberry, Joan. “Saunders Case Moth “Metura elongatus” colonies in Melbourne, Victoria.” The Victorian Naturalist, vol 138, no.4, 2021, pp 121–124, and Murray, Melissa. Saunder’s case moth. Australian Museum, 2024, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/case-moths/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[13] Hubregtse, Virgil. “Some Observations of a Saunders Case Moth ‘Metura Elongatus’ Larva.” The Victorian Naturalist, vol. 128, no. 2, 2011, pp. 90-92, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/245672, and Murray, Melissa. Saunder’s case moth. Australian Museum, 2024, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/case-moths/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[14] Hayes, David. “The damselflies and dragonflies of Australia”. Australian Geographic, 24 July 2017, https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2017/07/list-the-damselflies-and-dragonflies-of-australia/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[15] Giant Dragonfly - profile. NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, 14 October 2024. https://threatenedspecies.bionet.nsw.gov.au/profile?id=10600, accessed 18 April 2025.
[16] Ibid.
[17] Hayes, David. “The damselflies and dragonflies of Australia.” Australian Geographic, 24 July 2017. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2017/07/list-the-damselflies-and-dragonflies-of-australia/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[18] Giant Dragonfly - profile. NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, 14 October 2024. https://threatenedspecies.bionet.nsw.gov.au/profile?id=10600, accessed 18 April 2025.
[19] A novel eDNA method for detecting giant dragonfly enables improved conservation outcomes. NSW Water, 27 March 2025. https://water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/our-work/science-data-and-modelling/surface-water/latest-science/a-novel-edna-method-for-detecting-giant-dragonfly-enables-improved-conservation-outcomes, accessed 18 April 2025.
[20] Giant dragonfly (Petulara gigantea): Saving Our Species strategy. NSW Department of Planning and Environment. https://savingourspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/project/729, accessed 18 April 2025.
[21] Crew, Bec. “The neon cuckoo bee is a shiny parasite.” Australian Geographic, 26 March 2015, https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-blog/2015/03/neon-cuckoo-bee-a-shiny-parasite, accessed 18 April 2025.
[22] Cuckoo bees. Australian Museum, 7 August 2024. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/cuckoo-bees/, accessed 18 April 2025.
[23] Crew, Bec. “The neon cuckoo bee is a shiny parasite.” Australian Geographic, 26 March 2015, https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-blog/2015/03/neon-cuckoo-bee-a-shiny-parasite/, accessed 18 April 2025, and Cuckoo bees. Australian Museum, 7 August 2024. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/cuckoo-bees/, accessed 18 April 2025.
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