Dangerous bug or??
What’s this bug on my milkweed?
Those are milkweed aphids (Aphis nerii) and they are up to no good. I would hose them off with a strong stream of water. You can use your hands to squish them too as you squirt them. If they persist, I used to put a tablespoon of Palmolive in a hand sprayer of water and spray them dead. They are really common so you will see them again. Oh and if you have ladybugs they just love to eat them so you would not need to intervene.
Thank you, Kell! Will the soapy water discourage the caterpillars from eating the milkweed?
I do not know but I used to hose the plant down after using the soap water the next day to rid them of the dead black aphids so that would wash the soap residue away.
I found this article for you which I found so interesting. I didn't know this:
"First off, they are parthenogenic, which means they clone themselves and don’t require mates to reproduce. In addition, the clones they produce are always female. Yes, that’s right–all girls. “No boys allowed.” LOL
Gives other ways to get rid of them too. Luckily, they are easy to kill unlike so many other pests.
https://texasbutterflyranch.com/2016/08/09/when-aphids-suck-the-life-from-your-milkweed-heres-how-to-safely-get-rid-of-them/
This message was edited Sep 21, 2019 1:58 PM
Awesome! Thank you!
Many milkweed are host to Monarch caterpillars. They feed on the leaves. Totally worth it in my opinion.
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