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Are these caterpillars EATING the aphids on our milkweed?
Hi, What’s That Bug!
We (my son and I) have our first butterfly garden this year, so we’ve learned about the tiny orange aphids that are crawling all over our milkweed. Today I found about 8 of these small caterpillars (?) on the milkweed near the aphids. This morning there were TONS of aphids, but this evening, most of the aphids on this one milkweed plant are gone. Are these caterpillars and are the eating the aphids? Also, in the zoomed picture (third one), I can see lots of tine white bugs that I couldn’t see with my naked eye. Kind of gives me the creeps! You never know what is "out there" I guess!
Thanks!
Bridget

Hi Bridget,
They are eating Aphids, and they do look like caterpillars, but they are actually Syrphid Fly Larvae. Syrphid Flies are also known as Hover Flies. They look like bees, but are actually flies.

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