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|| All photos © by Colin L. Miller |
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GIANT MESQUITE BUGS
Thasus gigas
 Giant Mesquite Bugs, live, appropriately, on various species of mesquite tree in the Southwest and in Mexico. You can find these large leaf-footed bugs most easily in late summer and fall. The males have extra large hind legs with bumps and spines. The females have thin and smooth hind legs. They tend to gather in large groups on the trees. They are slow fliers and impossible to miss. Not long before the weather turns cold in late October, they will have laid their eggs on a tree branch or twig and died off, their missions complete.
Total lifespan from hatching until death: about 8 months. Eggs survive the winter and hatch in the spring. There are five larval stages called "instars," starting with the first, hatchling. After several days or longer, the nymph will pull itself out of its old skin (molt), and expand its soft new shell to a larger size before it hardens. This cycle repeats until the sixth molt, when it become an adult with wings. At each stage the nymph has different patterns and colors. These bugs feed on mesquite flowers, beans and tree sap through a short straw-like mouth. Unlike mosquitoes and assassin bugs, these insects don't bite and are quite harmless to hold in your hand.
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, 1st instar nymph (hatchling), soon after emerging from egg. Shell color will darken to black except for light-red band on abdomen (middle section).
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
1/24/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, 1st instar nymph (hatchling)
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
1/13/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bugs, 1st instar hatchlings and eggs. Note one hatchling emerging from egg.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
1/13/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, molting from 1st to 2nd instar. It only takes a few minutes for the bug to emerge from its old shell. Head is at bottom left, legs and antennae are held to close to the body.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
2/4/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, molting from 1st to 2nd instar. Almost done! It has already expanded in size while its shell is still soft.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
2/4/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, 2nd instar nymph just after molting. The shell will darken from red to black as it hardens. First instar nymph at bottom left.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
2/1/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, 2nd instar nymph. Note that legs now have red and black bands.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
1/28/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, 3rd instar nymph. Note white stripes on left and right of each abdominal segment.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
5/31/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, 4th instar nymph with larger stage 5 nymph. Note red-orange color around the white stripes.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
5/31/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, 5th instar nymph. Note the white stripes on abdomen are ringed in black and surrounded mostly by red.
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
5/31/2004 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug adults on tree. How many can you find?
Patagonia, Santa Cruz Co., AZ
10/11/2003 |
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Class: Insecta, Order: Hemiptera, Family: Coreidae
Thasus gigas
Giant Mesquite Bug, male, on mesquite bean pod
Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ
8/2/2003 |
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