Milkweed Bugs

Milkweed bugs are usually found in small groups on milkweed plants, often on the underside of the leaves.
Adults are 9/16 to 10/16 inch long, black, and colorfully marked with reddish-orange on the head, sides of the pronotum (part of the thorax), and the wing covers. They have a Y-shaped head marking and two wide crossing orange bands across the wings. They are common on milkweed plants.

Milkweed plants sometimes fill entire fields in good years, but usually are found along roadways. The plant produces a milky white sap when a leaf is removed. These plants are large (3-4 feet high) with sprays of small white flowers in the summer. In the fall, seed pods develop which are 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. When the seeds ripen the seed pods open up releasing the seeds which float on fluffy white parasols. Milkweed bugs can be found on seed pods piercing the wall of the pod to feed on seeds.