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Large Milkweed Bug

Large Milkweed Bug line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Large Milkweed Bug full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The Large Milkweed Bug was completed on 12.19.2011. Often I get requests or commissions for animals I'd probably not normally draw otherwise. This is one of those instances, although the insect here is a pretty cool one. The illustration is based on a photo by my Flikcr friend Jlucier

Information about the Large Milkweed Bug:

The Large Milkweed Bug (sometimes called a Milkweed Beetle - however it is not technically a beetle) It is a member of the Hemiptera order or "True Bugs." This insect grows to about 3.5 - 7 inches long (9-18 centimeters) This insect feeds mainly on grains, which it consumes though the large mouthpart called a rostrum. They are native to much of the eastern parts of north American from the Rocky Mountains, north to Ontario but is especially concentrated in the southeastern parts of the US. As the name makes clear, this bug is closely associated with the milkweed plant on which it feeds and is often found. These insects are often used in scientific research as they breed easily in captivity.