UA entomologists help educate the public on insect-related issues through outreach and research. The Pima Country Cooperative Extension and UA Insect Collections work together to educate and overcome stigmas about the bugs that inhabit our Sonoran desert landscape.
Authors: Jennifer Hijazi, Joshua Montijo, Eric Rawdin
The giant mesquite bug lives and feeds in the top of the mesquite tree but moves toward the base of the tree as temperatures rise. The bugs are harmless to plants and people. They don't bite people because their mouthparts are designed for feeding on the mesquites.