Asclepias incarnata question, part 2

Closeup of leaves and stems

aphids

Use a strong jet of water to spray them off - repeat as needed. I doubt you'll ever get rid of them, and you might not want to, as the lady bugs will be all over that plant chowing down. I do sometimes have to control them a little, though, when they get so thick.

Really - orange aphids? How disappointing... We have lots of ladybugs, and I'm happy for them to have an all-you-can-eat buffet, but that degree of insect infestation can't do the plant any good.

No, that's why I say I spray them off more often when they get so thick. I hold on to the branch and hit it with a strong jet of water. After you spray, move a few lady bugs over to the plant and they will be more able to control them. I see mine crawling with lady bug nymphs and trust me, those little guys can eat. The plants do fine afterward. Works for me, YMMV.

Funny, no matter how thick they get, I never see those orange aphids on another plant besides milkweed. I've read they are specific to the plant, but I don't know if that's true.

It's funny how some years my swamp milkweed plants have lots of the orange aphids and milkweed bugs and other years little or none. This year none. Plants always come back the next year. I also move plants around a bit, maybe they can't always find them.

What are milkweed bugs, Sempervirens? I've heard the orange aphids called milkweed aphids, but are they really exclusive to those plants, do you know? Sometimes my ladybugs don't find them, which I find curious and is why I end up moving them over there. I've done the same thing on my apple trees - I move them from one branch to another if there is something there. One would think the LBs would know there was food one or two branches up!

There are large milkweed bugs-oncopeltus fasciatus- that eat the seeds and milkweed plants thereby becoming toxic (or at least highly distasteful) to most predators. If you check the bug files there are lots of photos. If you have them you can't miss them, they are bright orange and black and like to congregate in groups.- especially around Halloween (the last I'm just kidding about but I just couldn't resist). Now if I remembered how to do a link it would be helpful.

kaperec,
I think the aphids are orange from the milkweed plant.

Glad I don't have those! I found quite a bit on the 'net about the milkweed aphids - apparently there are four different types, the orange ones being the most common.

Here's an interesting discussion for anyone worried about the effects on their butterfly garden. http://www.dirtdoctor.com/forum/archive.php/o_t/t_6528/milkweed-aphids.html

Thanks for that info!
Kathleen

Oh great: can't wait for the big orange & black bugs.... Think I prefer the aphids.

I think I'm going to plant Guara near my milkweed next year. Maybe the aphids will concentrated more on the Guara than my milkweed.

Now that's a tempting idea!