CLOSED: Help! Orange and black insect ID needed

annflorida Orange Park, FL Aug 10, 2008

These insects are defoliating my milkweed in my butterfly garden. Does anyone know what they are and how I can kill them without harming my butterflys and birds? I live in NE Florida. Thanks!

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Aug 10, 2008

These are large milkweed bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus; Heteroptera/Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). They feed on the sap in developing milkweed seeds and would not be responsible for any defoliation. You should be on the lookout for caterpillars instead.

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cedar18 Lula, GA(Zone 7b) Aug 10, 2008

Ann, These milkweed bugs have been all over my butterfly weed - am drowning 4-8 a day from that one plant. But suunto is right, they are only a problem if you want the seeds (which I do). Maybe you have caterpillars of butterflies defoliating your plant - which is a good thing!

I keep a large yogurt container with a lid handy; soapy water is an easy way to do away with the milkweed bugs. They are easy to grab. good luck!

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Sheila_FW Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Aug 10, 2008

I keep what one DGer called "the bucket of death", soapy water in the garden and just knock them off into it as I go around. It kills them and I don't have to take a chance on killing ladybugs or cats in the process. Aphids I can live with.

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annflorida Orange Park, FL Aug 10, 2008

Thanks so much for the quick help! I will use soapy water for them. Since I haven't seen any catepillars, I don't know what is defoliating the plants. I have a lot of butterflies, but the milkweed is still losing leaves. I thought all the catepillars had metamorphosed by now, leaving just the butterflies.

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