Photo Essay - Mesquite Blossom Insect Research Program

Modern biological research is focused on organisms that cause humans harm. Very little ecological research is done, and for several years students have studied the insects that can be found on mesquite blossoms during the brief 3 week period mesquites bloom in May. Scharbauer Elementary 6th graders visited in May of 2006 to do the research (see photos below).

Over the years we have discovered several things.

When the mesquites first blossom, ladybugs are the most common insect on the mesquite, followed by adult leaf-footed bugs. After a week of blooming the most common arthropod becomes thrips, followed by over a dozen species of spiders, and assassin bugs. After two weeks of blooms, the most common insects become seed beetles in the nymphal stage and a 1 inch long gray caterpillar that might be the larval form of the Reakirt's Blue Butterfly or a "miller moth," the drab moths that can number in the thousands by the first of June. Adult Reakirt's blue butterflies are found in small numbers throughout the bloom period – their larvae are thought to mostly feed on mesquite leaves. In 2006, we investigated the last remaining blooms during a fourth week. To our surprise the most common insects were two species of small ground bee in incredible numbers. Most of the mesquites were already covered with green beans 2-4 inches long, but still had a few blossoms.

Students have also studied the insects that come to green mesquite beans and to red (ripe) mesquite beans.

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