By: Megan Sanders Introduction: Hey guys! Let’s talk about Giant Mesquite Bugs. They can live anywhere Mesquite trees grow. They are really big with red and black bodies. The boys have extra big back legs with bumps and spines. The girls have thin and smooth back legs. They grow to be about 1 and 1/4 inches. They like to live in Mesquite trees that grow in the Southwest. The bugs eat the green pods of the Mesquite and Honey Mesquite trees. They lay eggs in sets of 12 under the bark of their favorite tree. To learn more about the Giant Mesquite Bug please read the information below and then do the assessment and activity that is located at the bottom of the page. Who am I? I am the Giant Mesquite Bug. I live anywhere mesquite trees grow. I like to fly slow and lay my eggs in October. I am really big and I am red and black. I am also known as Thasus neocalifornicus, in the family Coreidae, the Leaf Footed Bugs.  What do I look like? I am giant :). The boy version of me have extra-large hind legs with bumps and spines. The girl versions have thin and smooth hind legs. I am red and black, but when I get old my colors are hidden by my large wings. I grow to be about 1 and 1/4 inches. Where do I live? I like to live in Mesquite trees. Mesquite trees grow in the Southwest. I live in Mexico and Arizona. What do I eat? Since I live in Mesquite trees, they are my source of food. I eat the green pods of the Mesquite and Honey Mesquite trees. I depend on the trees for my survival. How do I reproduce? I reproduce in early October. I lay my eggs in sets of 12 under the bark of my favorite tree. My babies hatch in spring and then they go on the repeat the cycle. I have a life span of 8 months. Cool things about me? I ward off predators by producing a stinky gas. I live in large groups of my peers. Where can you find information about me? http://bugguide.net/node/view/20163 http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2009/06/22/immature-giant-mesquite-bugs/ http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2008/03/18/giant-mesquite-bugs/ Actvities for the Giant Mesquite Bug: 1. For kindergarten: Paint a picture of the Giant Mesquite Bug. Use red and black paint to get the correct colors on the bug 2. For first and second grade draw a picture of the Giant Mesquite Bug labeling its legs, wings, body, head, and then make it a girl or boy bug by changing the legs to either smooth for the girls or bumpy for the boys. 3. For third grade complete a PowerPoint on information they find on the website as well as from other sources on the Internet. They should make a slide for what the bug looks like, where the bug lives, what the bug eats,and another slide for any other information they found interesting. Also they must include a theme for their PowerPoint and pictures of the Giant Mesquite Bug. Make sure they cite all their sources by pasting the web addresses at the bottom of the slides. |
