Found on my A. curassivica.
can anyone id this larvae?
Looks like those red headed southern army worms in a short version, from what I can see. They are apt to eat anything...
I think it is a Ladybug pupa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvHWxDjfFB8
Couldn't find the picture on that link. I have a lot of the Asian Lady beetles every year. One year they were all over the rocks at the bottom of my property since it was cool out. Take a look. Yours seems to have a yellow-green tinge, could it be the one that looks yellow?
SInce it was found on your milkweed and milkweed is notorious for aphids, I'm going with ladybug larvae.
I googled Lady Bug pupa and saw some images that are very close to what I have. However, mine have heads and legs and can crawl ! I don't know if they are the last instar of larvae or a lady bug just emerged from pupa. I have lady bugs all over the place and I am familiar with the red and black larvae but I had never seen anything like this before. Thanks for all your help. I'll speak up when they become something.https://www.google.com/search?q=ladybug+pupa&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=vjvqU7ytGcGf8QG2vYGQCw&sqi=2&ved=0CCYQ7Ak&biw=1366&bih=643#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=odojODWGzsF4pM%253A%3B0eLD35gNhnsNSM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F_GQXNXQu1nCA%252FTH5Z5kKPnXI%252FAAAAAAAACxg%252FNzuzetEH3sc%252Fs1600%252FIMG_0584.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fonenezz.blogspot.com%252F2010%252F09%252Flife-cycle-of-ladybugs.html%3B1600%3B1197
This message was edited Aug 12, 2014 11:09 AM
I've seen those too Marty. I think mine were humping, teehee! Or kissing? 😛😜. I might have seen them on my butterfly weed. It's been several weeks or months. I remember them being kind of big--like larger than a regular red ladybug.
Janet
Sheila it looks like this one I found on bugguide. Swamp milkweed leaf beetle:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/6165
Becky it sure looks like it, good job!!!
Well thanks, I love a good bug mystery! 😄
Milkweed bugs take over the plants and steal from the bf... and out multiply the bf too.
Thanks, Becky for searching for my bug. I think that is it because it really chows down on the leaves right alongside my caterpillars! They look a lot like lady bugs (beetles) don't they?
They really do!
Well don't get excited, you will be cursing them when you are trying to feed Monarchs and they have stripped the plants. They eat much more than a caterpillar does in one day. When I try to pick them off they let go and fall in leaf litter. They come back worse each year!