This bug is populating quickly all over just this species of plant. They don't seem to be eating or harming the plant, just look like they are breeding continually and then dying off. But they are populating faster than dying off. Anybody know of the bug?
Those are aphids. Is that plant by any chance an Asclepias (Milkweed) plant? The aphids that infest them tend to be that color. Wash off with a strong stream of water. They are not very mobile and usually do not make it back to the plant. Yes, they reproduce very rapidly. At this time of year they are all females that give live birth to already pregnant daughters. Pretty bizarre.
I have Aster plants. Thank you for the bug identification. I now understand the bug better. And thankful for the Aster plants the aphids don't infest and kill my vegetable garden.
As I'd found this:
Compromise with the enemy. Grow plants that attract aphids, like asters, cosmos, larkspur, dahlias, and zinnias, but plant them away from the plants you want to protect. The aphids will be drawn to these plants and will stay away from less appetizing plants as a result.
But they have not attached he'd and populated to my Zinnias which are in the vegetables gardens, they are in the middle of two sections. Knowing the Zinnias are to be far from the garden, I'm surprised the aphids aren't attacking my vegetables because of how close the Zinnias are.
