Subject:  Red and black bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Fountain valley, ca
Date: 03/23/2019
Time: 03:32 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hello, Bugman!
I found three of these today on a milkweed (which I planted to attract monarchs). Two of them were mating. I live in Orange County, California, about five miles from the coast.  Any idea what it is?
How you want your letter signed:  Jennifer

Large Milkweed Bug

Dear Jennifer,
This is a benign Large Milkweed Bug and it will not harm your milkweed plants.  According to BugGuide, they eat:  “Seeds of milkweed plants. They can be reared and fed other seeds such as sunflower, watermelon, cashew”

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Subject:  Milkweed Bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Central Florida
Date: 02/14/2019
Time: 12:04 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hello Bugman!
While visiting friends in Rockledge, Florida, they showed me one of their milkweed plants that had many of these milkweed bugs on them. I haven’t, in the past, considered them to be harmful to milkweed, but would (roughly) 20 insects on one plant kill the it?
They are pesticide-free (unlike much of the rest of Florida ah-hem), so they’re either letting them be or picking them off. What advice can I give them?
Thank you!
How you want your letter signed:  Kenda

Large Milkweed Bug

Hi Kenda,
Large Milkweed Bugs will not harm the plant.  They do feed on seeds, so large numbers of Large Milkweed Bugs might reduce seed production, but again, they do not harm the milkweed plants.

Excellent news! Thanks for all you do, Daniel, to make the planet a better place!
Cheers,
Kenda

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Subject:  Red and black bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Laguna Beach CA
Date: 08/04/2018
Time: 01:25 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  These bugs are constantly  on my milk weed Will they hurt the small monarch caterpillars?
How you want your letter signed:  KathyG

Large Milkweed Bug

Dear KathyG,
This is a Large Milkweed Bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, and it is part of the rich diversity of insects that are associated with milkweed.  Large Milkweed Bugs will not harm your Monarch Caterpillars nor will they harm the plants, but they will reduce the number of viable seeds the plant produces because according to BugGuide:  “Seeds of milkweed plants.”  Like Monarchs, they benefit from the toxins produced by milkweed plants and like Monarchs, they sport aposomatic warning colors because 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.” 

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