Large Milkweed Bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus)

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Magpye NW Qtr, AR(Zone 6a) Aug 13, 2006

Post #2616090

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PrairieMoon2 Burlington, MA(Zone 6a) Aug 24, 2006

Hi,

I just discovered these bugs on my milkweed and wondered if you do anything to keep them under control? Also I wondered what kind of camera you used to get such a fantastic close up of them? I used the macro feature on a point and shoot and couldn't get nearly that good a picture.

:-)

Post #2655611

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Magpye NW Qtr, AR(Zone 6a) Jul 25, 2007

PrairieMoon2 ..

I'm so sorry: I'd been unaware of any replies/posts, until this mornin' .. while doing a bit of research. I usually UNcheck the 'watch' option on my bug database entries after a little while. This one, sure fell by the wayside .. unintentionally.

Usually, I use a plastic dish tub with water to a depth of about 3 inches or so, and a good squirt of dishwashing liquid or a bit of 20 Mule Team Borax (powder) - of which I hold the branch over the plastic dish pan and bump the dirty lil varmints off the branch into the water. {pun, intended. Hee!}

Sometimes, (if the aphids seem to be heavily concentrated on jes one or two branches) - I'll gently bend the branch/stems over and dunk the entirety for a few minutes, until well drowned! I've found these type concentrations - when they've just hatched and haven't yet high-tailed it and spread to other parts of the plant yet. They seem momentarily disoriented when newly hatched .. and are most vulnerable to 'a good bath dunk' then. Definitely secures their fate, with no harm to the branch. .. LOL .. * I pay close attention as to when/if any Monarchs have visited in the weeks prior - to somewhat secure I'm not drowning Monarch eggs or the caterpillars in the process.

The camera I'd used, is a Fuji S9000. But, please be aware, that with a good many of the photos I submit to the DG Bug Files, in particular - - there's some cropping that takes place, in order to bring the subject/s a lil closer/larger. This serves to bring out some of the important features/details of the 'bug', etc. The high amount of megapixels also enables one to maintain a sufficiently clear non-pixelated image after cropping - with limitations, of course.

However, the super-macro feature alone .. of this camera (uncropped & unedited) - is simply, most fantastic! (IMHO, of course). She's been lugged to timbucktwo and back (figuratively speaking) .. far more times than I can remember! .. heehee ..

Again, my sincere apologies to you .. in overlooking your reply and inquiries.

- Magpye

Post #3777814

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PrairieMoon2 Burlington, MA(Zone 6a) Dec 05, 2007

Hi Magpye...

Looks like I hadn't noticed this response either...sorry about that. Thanks very much for the explanation of the bug dipping [g] and the camera reccomendations. I sincerely appreciated you getting back to me. Just sorry I didn't notice sooner. Now I am ready for next year! :-)

pm2