Unidentified Milkweed Bug?
September 26, 2009
I came across these bugs while working on one of our nature preserves. I have seen the bug before but not in this context. There were several of these inside of the seed head of a couple milkweed plants. What is this bug and what is its ecological relationship with milkweed?
Derek Rogers
Nissequogue, New York
Large Milkweed Bugs
Hi Derek,
This is a group of Large Milkweed Bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus. The winged individuals are the adults and the others are immature nymphs. The food plants are plants in the Milkweed and Dogbane families. The insects feed on the juices of the seeds of the plants and will not harm the plants, and adults also take nectar. According to BugGuide: “In the course of feeding these bugs accumulate toxins from the milkweed, which can potentially sicken any predators foolish enough to ignore the bright colors which warn of their toxicity.” We found a nice Milkweed Bug Information page posted by the University of Arizona that has useful information. This is the third letter with an identification request for the Large Milkweed Bug that we have opened today. Your photo is quite beautiful and we are selecting your letter and photo as the Bug of the Month for October 2009. Throughout the month of October, it will remain at the top of our homepage.
Hi Daniel,
I would be honored to have my photo posted for the October bug of the month. Thank you for this information and your quick response. I am very impressed with the web site. I do nature preserve management for The Nature Conservancy and often come across interesting insect specimens. I will surely be in touch.
Derek Rogers
Plump Black and orange bugs
I found several of these bugs in a flower garden. It was the 4th week of September around 4pm. Can you tell me what they are? If they are beneficial, I don’t want to destroy them.
Cathy M
Kennett Square, PA
Immature Large Milkweed Bugs
Hi Cathy,
These are immature nymphs of the Large Milkweed Bug, which we just identified for you. Like other Hemipterans, they have sucking mouthparts, and they feed on juices from the seeds and seed pods of milkweed and dogbane. We have never located any information that this is a problematic species in the garden.
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Posted 26 September 2009
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Black and gold bug
September 25, 2009
Found this bug on a milkweed seed pod in a flower garden. It was in September in late afternoon. It was slightly less than an inch long. Black and gold on top, red and black undersides.
Cathy & Carlos M
Kennett Square, PA
Large Milkweed Bugs
Dear Cathy and Carlos,
These are Large Milkweed Bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus. The pale yellow specimen is freshly molted, and according to BugGuide: “their color becoming darker and more orangish with age.“
Thank you so much! I’ve never seen anything like it.
I love your web site! Whenever I run into something new and interesting, you always know what it is.
Thx
Cathy Matos
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Posted 26 September 2009
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Kind of insect species
August 7, 2009
Black and orange in color
Doesn’t matter
Long Island, New York
Large Milkweed Bug
Dear Doesn’t Matter,
No one would ever accuse you of verbosity. This is a Large Milkweed Bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus. Both adults and immature wingless nymphs feed the seeds of milkweed by sucking on the juices. According to BugGuide: “Eggs are laid in milkweed seed pods or in crevices between pods. About 30 eggs are laid a day, and about 2,000 over a female’s lifespan, which lasts about a month during the summer. One or more generations per year. Adults overwinter.”
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Posted 08 August 2009
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Orange and Black Bug
July 14, 2009
I’m growing Butterfly weed for the first time and there are these orange and black bug crawling on them that look a little bit like a box elder but only orange and black. (I see it’s on the cover of Kaufman field guide to insects of North America)
Bill
Alpha, IL (North West Illinois)
Large Milkweed Bug
Hi Bill,
The Large Milkweed Bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, will not harm your milkweed plants. They feed on the juices of the seeds and sometimes take nectar.
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Posted 14 July 2009
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