Orange-tailed insect with orange-tipped antennas (2) and a black body. ID Please! (North-Texas)

This was the strangest insect I've seen in awhile.
Saw this forum online, so I felt like it was necessary to post it here. I see 0 documentation of it elsewhere upon googling the image and definitions of the insect.

The tail on this insect is orange, its pitched upwards, and has black speckles on it.
The insect itself is mainly black, it has 6 legs, and 2 antennas.
It moves rather slowly using all six legs, it cannot fly (as far as I observed), and it uses its antennas to detect what's around it; so I assume it has bad eyesight. The antennas have orange-tips at the end, too.

Quite a beautiful insect, honestly. I've never seen something like it. My phone has a powerful camera, so I was able to get a few up-close shots.

Thumbnail by konii Thumbnail by konii Thumbnail by konii Thumbnail by konii Thumbnail by konii

Also, I apologize for the pictures being rotated. I'm new to the site so I don't know how to fix this if it's even possible ^ ^ ; my bad!

This message was edited Apr 28, 2016 5:46 PM

(Zone 5a)

I don't know how to fix the photos, it seems to happen to some people here who upload cell phone pictures. I have not heard of a solution, yet.

Someone posted the same or similar insect recently and it was identified as a nymph of an assassin bug, likely Arilus cristatus, a wheel bug. http://bugguide.net/node/view/118336 These are predator bugs and are good to have around. I have found other assassin bugs on my property, but not one of these. I keep looking...

Quote from Chillybean :
I don't know how to fix the photos, it seems to happen to some people here who upload cell phone pictures. I have not heard of a solution, yet.

Someone posted the same or similar insect recently and it was identified as a nymph of an assassin bug, likely Arilus cristatus, a wheel bug. http://bugguide.net/node/view/118336 These are predator bugs and are good to have around. I have found other assassin bugs on my property, but not one of these. I keep looking...


I appreciate it!


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