The Ibibio people of Akwa-Ibom state call this insect "Ebe-Etim", which when translated means the Millipede's Husband. It is interesting how the local people observed and named these things based on what they saw.

Ebe-Etim, better identified as the Metallic Assassin bug or Glymmatophora is a true bug in the insect world. Without fangs or a biting and chewing mouthpart, this assassin is armed with a straw. Once it traps its target, the metallic assassin bug uses its rostrum to stab and inject its prey with a cocktail of digestive chemicals, enzymes, and venom that liquefies the prey's internal organs. Then, the assassin will use its straw to suck out the prey's contents.
A cruel way to make a smoothie, I think.
One of its favourites is the millipede. And that is what the Ibibio people saw; the Millipede and the assassin but always together and concluded they were a couple.

This assassin belongs to the Reduviidae family. According to Wikipedia, here is its profile.

Scientific	Classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera (bugs)
Suborder:	Heteroptera
Family:	Reduviidae
Subfamily:	Ectrichodiinae
Genus:	Glymmatophora
Species:	Miller	wikipedia

Binomial name: Glymmatophoroides Miller

Description

This bug has a characteristic bright, metallic red colour that pairs well with black in the areas around its abdomen, a colour combination that quietly screams toxic and dangerous. an aposematic colouration language I understood by instinct when I first saw this bug. It was giving out a loud "don't touch me vibe."
A medium-sized bug, roughly the size of the ball part of my pinky, this bug can wrestle down large-sized millipedes that are many times larger than itself.

For a human, its sting may range from extremely painful to deadly. This is because an assassin bug can transmit Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi) if they bite a human after feeding on an infected hosts. Though, on a normal day, this assassin will not have you on its hit list. If you get stung, maybe you are collateral damage in its operation.

Life cycle

Going through an incomplete metamorphosis, Ebe Etim here identified as Glymmatophora, starts hemimetabolism as an egg among other eggs laid on leaves, on tree backs or in the soil. This egg later hatches into a small nymph, which would look more like a poorly developed adult. With time, the nymph will outgrow its own exoskeleton, breaking out of it maybe 3 to 4 times as a right og passage before it becomes an adult assassin bug that can fly, mate and reproduce, repeating the cycle all over again.

It is often at this point that I would tell you if this particular insect could be part of your meal, but try not to think of Glymmatophora as a food source. Let's just appreciate the idea that not everything was meant to serve as food.
How about having one as a pet? I think that is another bad idea. It's best to admire these hunters from a distance. With their little dagger, they are good at taking down other bugs and may not be ready to discuss any domestication protocols anytime soon.

This bug is a John Wick in black and red, with the skills of Agent 27. It has been taking down millipedes while disguised as its fiancé.

These assassin bugs are found everywhere, they are an indirect friend of the farmer because they help eliminate some insects that would harm the farmer's crops though butterflies and bees are not safe when such an assassin is operating.

I am inviting @nspidos, @rubee2as1 @dequeen and @bossj23

Media Credit

Composer	@manuelhooks
Captured with	Galaxy-A15
Assisted by	Google Lens
Entry type	Entomology Profile
Date	Sun. April 12.
	(@) 2026