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Giant Mesquite Bug

Thasus neocalifornicus

Photo by csalem
Published on Project Noah
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18.8333, -98

Field Notes

Description:

I was on a camping trip at a zoo safari park near Puebla and saw bushes and bushes filled with these. They were about 2 to 3 inches long. Very beautiful!

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)

Congratulations csalem! Your spotting is featured in Project Noah's Fact of the Day: "When fully grown the giant mesquite bugs gets up to 1 1/4 inches (3.2 cm) long and are not quite as brightly colored as this nymph sporting aposematic coloration meant to warn potential predators that they are not good to eat. If a predator ignores the warning colors and persists, the flightless nymphs produce a stinky secretion to repel predators. They feed on feed only on the sap, tender leaves, and green seed pods of mesquite trees (Prosopis spp.). They occur in the southwest United States and Mexico". Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/a.10150595289465603.674700.10150120463815603/10154791508795603/?type=1
Hi OwenStellar. May I ask what you would use the original for?
Is there anyway for me to get the full sized image?
Hi, it's not a beetle, but a bug.

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