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stephanietx
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 35
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:01 pm Post subject: What is this Bug? |
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Found this on my Four Nerve Daisies this afternoon and have had no luck figuring out what it is or how to get rid of it. Can anybody help?
Hosted on Fotki
Stephanie |
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sandih
Joined: 04 Apr 2003
Posts: 1037
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:48 am Post subject: |
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| Did it appear to be doing harm to it? |
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Dirt Doctor
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Posts: 545
Location: Dallas,Tx
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:19 am Post subject: |
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Here you go.
Milkweed Bug
photo by Nadine Haefs
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Order Heteroptera, family Lygaeidae, Oncopeltus fasciatus
SIZE: Adult – 9/16 to 10/16”
IDENTIFICATION: Black with reddish –orange on the head, sides of the pronotum and wing covers. The colorful bugs have Y-shaped head markings and crossing orange bands across the wings. They have long sucking mouth parts.
BIOLOGY AND LIFE CYCLE: Incomplete metamorphosis. Eggs hatch in about 1 week, take about a month to become adults after 5 nymphal instars. Nymphs have bright red abdomens and look like adults without full wings. Adults mate end to end.
HABITAT: Found in small groups on milkweed plants, often under leaves.
FEEDING HABITS: Milkweed bugs pierce the walls of seed pods to feed on the seeds. They also eat the green tissue of the plant.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: This insect can tolerate the toxic compounds in milkweed plants. They are important in regulating this plant as a weed. They are pests if you are trying to raise milkweed plants for butterflies.
NATURAL CONTROL: They have few predators because they taste bad due to the compounds found in milkweed plants. These bugs use their bright colors to advertise their bad taste. Limit milkweed plantings.
ORGANIC CONTROL: Plant oil sprays and neem products.
INSIGHT: The small milkweed bug is Lygaeus kalmii. |
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stephanietx
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 35
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:41 am Post subject: Thank you! |
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Not sure if it was doing any harm or not. Didn't appear to be, but this morning may prove to be a different story. Off to mix up some spray to apply early this evening. Maybe they were just passing through!!
Stephanie |
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sandih
Joined: 04 Apr 2003
Posts: 1037
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:21 am Post subject: |
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| Nice shot by the way. |
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Dirt Doctor
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Posts: 545
Location: Dallas,Tx
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 6:52 am Post subject: |
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| By the way, young boxelder bugs looks very similar and it's hard to tell them apart. Neither do much damage. |
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