CLOSED: BUGS ON MILKWEED

Sherman99 asked me to post a pic of my red/orange bugs that are similar looking to his in so. California. They are a bit blurry. My camera does not do closeups too well. Here is the pic.

Here is another pic, not as close. Are they box elder bugs???

The bugs on your milkweed are called, appropriately enough, "Milkweed Bugs" , Oncopeltus fasciatus See http://www.cirrusimage.com/bugs_large_milkweed.htm

Thanks. I did not know that these were milkweed bugs. The bugs I usually have on my milkweed are a long orange narrower type bug with none of the large black spots like these have. I am very surprised that these are milkweed bugs. I guess I have been identifying the wrong bug for quite some time.

this is going to sound weird but could you please send me a few of these bugs please?

thank you for posting the picture

This message was edited Sep 18, 2010 9:47 AM

ok, i went to the other site, the pattern is different on the bigger picture. thank you anyway. (my eyes are not so great)

This message was edited Sep 18, 2010 9:49 AM

I went and looked at the other ones too and I do see a bit of a difference. They are close though.

yes they are. the ones here spend a lot of time running around hooked together (tail to tail) does not seem to slow them down. I just wish i knew what kind of damage they are doing, if there is a native species they are pushing out, or a plant. sort of worrisome that they are moving to new host plants

hemlady, is this the insect you have seen on your milkweeds in the past? (Or similar) If so, these are Soldier Beetles. The adults spend their time eating pollen and mating, the larval stage are predators.

Similar but I don't think they had any black spots that large on the wings. I will have to see if I can find one to take a picture of. Couldn't find any but I'm wondering if the beetles I was seeing in the spring are immature soldier beetles. I know they are not lightning bugs because I know what those look like.

This message was edited Sep 18, 2010 3:45 PM

These are the bugs I normally get on the milkweed.http://www.cirrusimage.com/beetles_red_milkweed.htm

I notice if you google milkweed bug and milkweed beetle, you get two entirely different pictures of what they look like.

This message was edited Sep 18, 2010 4:33 PM

At the link you provided, http://www.cirrusimage.com/beetles_red_milkweed.htm , two quite different insects are shown. One is commonly called a milkweed bug, one a milkweed beetle. The one commonly called a milkweed bug is a true bug. Contrary to much usage, "bug" denotes a specific sub set of insects and is not a synonym for "insect". The insect commonly called a milkweed beetle is a true beetle. Their common names recognize their difference in classification. It would be like two mamals having the common names of milkweed cat and milkweed dog respectively. You probably would expect them to have different pictures if you Googled them. Likewise, within Insecta, bugs and beetles are two different groups of creatures.

Oh I gottcha ya. Very interesting. I didn't really know the differences. In the past I normally would get the beetles. But the milkweed bugs have literally taken over this year and I have only seen a couple of the beetles all summer.