Assassin bug

6395  Found this on our carpeted stairs in the evening. Today it’s been raining all day. We have only seen this one – but unsure what it is. We think it’s an assassin bug but not sure. If so, is it dangerous? What are we supposed to do? Thanks. Orleans, Ontario, Canada

Number 6395. This is an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae) called the masked hunter (Reduvius personatus), an introduced species with a cosmopolitan distribution. These are general predators on other small arthropods, and are reputed to have a very painful (but not dangerous) bite. No control is necessary.