milkweed bugs!!!

My milkweed plants are being destroyed by milkweed bugs. The monarchs, soldiers, and queens have no place to lay their eggs. How does one get rid of the bugs without harming the plants and butterflies. Please share what you do or have done. All answers appreciated. TIA

I have them too! I get a bucket of sudsy water....dish soap will work, and just flick them in there. If you get suds on the plant just do a gentle spray with the hose and they'll be okay.

I also have a problem with bugs on my milkweed. Can't I spray bug spray on the ground around the milkweed?

I wouldn't, it can drift up to the branches. And often the Monarch cats will crawl off the plant to pupate and they would have to go through it which would kill them. What bugs do you have.....the mw bug?

OK I won't spray. What does a Milkweed look like. I also have alot of ants.

I mean Milkweed Bug, Duh!!!!!!!!

Do you have aphids too? The ants could be there because of the aphids, they like their honeydew and will farm them.

Here's the mw bug and some nymphs.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4TH/KKHP/1INSECTS/bugpix/milkfnymphPSU.JPEG&imgrefurl=http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4TH/KKHP/1INSECTS/milkweed.html&h=300&w=405&sz=21&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=D1S2uu6pmd_NmM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmilkweed%2Bbug%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DDNUS,DNUS:2006-36,DNUS:en

I forgot to mention that the mw bugs seem to really like the mw seed pods. I cut them off and the mw bugs don't hang around.

Interesting. The only things I have ever seen on my milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) are the yellow aphids and lady bugs. Sometimes the aphids get ahead of the lady bugs, so I just spray them off while I'm watering, but leave enough for the ladies to eat. I have never seen them on any other plants, so I thought of them as milkweed aphids and didn't know there was a milkweed bug. Wonder if it's regional or species specific?

Thank you so much for your info. Goodbye Milkweed Bugs. I will also try the sudsy water. I would just like to see one pupae emerge. I bought Monarch's for my daughter's wedding. They were beautiful.

I got interested in the Monarch when our county fair had a tent full of them. And I guess thru the work of one lady in our state, the Monarch is now the state butterfly. She sets up a screened-in tent that you can go in and watch the Monarch's.

Thanks for the idea of the sudsy water. I knew that, but just couldn't think of it due to frustration. I've kept a small bucket of sudsy water in the garage. When I inspect the plants, I flick the bugs into the water. I am finding fewer bugs now. I also have noticed I have lots of eggs on the underside of the milkweed leaves. So the cats will have food. Thanks again for reminding me.