Comments on: Milkweed Bugs http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html simplicity, creativity, self-sufficiency,...minivans Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:41:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Tomato Lady http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2634 Tomato Lady Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:46:15 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2634 Portia McCracken--So fascinating. What a system. And I think you're awesome. Portia McCracken–So fascinating. What a system.
And I think you’re awesome.

]]> By: Portia McCracken http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2630 Portia McCracken Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:37:16 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2630 TL, thanks for the nudge to get me into reading more about the milkweed bugs. I love the way this site informs me, delights me, and encourages me to know more. FYI, milkweed bugs do eat/destroy the pod's seeds, and for that reason are considered a beneficial insect in keeping this "weed" under control. However, in the garden they probably aren't doing much, if any, harm, so best just to keep our eyes on whether the milkweed comes back next year, so the monarch caterpillar has a dinner plate. BTW, the toxic sap of the milkweed gives both the bug & the caterpillar their bad taste to predators, and the bright coloration warns predators not to touch; some insects even mimic this coloration to fool predators--fascinating! TL, thanks for the nudge to get me into reading more about the milkweed bugs.

I love the way this site informs me, delights me, and encourages me to know more. FYI, milkweed bugs do eat/destroy the pod’s seeds, and for that reason are considered a beneficial insect in keeping this “weed” under control. However, in the garden they probably aren’t doing much, if any, harm, so best just to keep our eyes on whether the milkweed comes back next year, so the monarch caterpillar has a dinner plate. BTW, the toxic sap of the milkweed gives both the bug & the caterpillar their bad taste to predators, and the bright coloration warns predators not to touch; some insects even mimic this coloration to fool predators–fascinating!

]]> By: Jen M. http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2606 Jen M. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:35:53 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2606 Ah! Thanks for identifying those! I was out photographing a couple weekends ago, and I got some amazing shots of them on some milkweed. I had never seen them before. It's nice to know that they are harmless, because seeing swarming bugs like that always gives me the willies. They could be ladybugs or caterpillars, and I'd still feel queasy! :P Ah! Thanks for identifying those! I was out photographing a couple weekends ago, and I got some amazing shots of them on some milkweed. I had never seen them before.

It’s nice to know that they are harmless, because seeing swarming bugs like that always gives me the willies. They could be ladybugs or caterpillars, and I’d still feel queasy! :P

]]> By: Tomato Lady http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2605 Tomato Lady Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:58:41 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2605 Gloria--Thanks! Kat--That is sad. Weird weather all over. Don't know what to expect anymore. nancy--Well, this picture is a little dated. I think I saw the last blooms a couple of weeks ago. How lovely to raise Monarchs! Tanya Walton--Yes, the butterfly weed seems unaffected. Growing like a weed in spite of the bugs. Portia McCracken--From what I understand, milkweed bugs feed on the seed pods, distorting them a bit, but not destroying the seeds or the leaves in any quantity. Gloria–Thanks!
Kat–That is sad. Weird weather all over. Don’t know what to expect anymore.
nancy–Well, this picture is a little dated. I think I saw the last blooms a couple of weeks ago. How lovely to raise Monarchs!
Tanya Walton–Yes, the butterfly weed seems unaffected. Growing like a weed in spite of the bugs.
Portia McCracken–From what I understand, milkweed bugs feed on the seed pods, distorting them a bit, but not destroying the seeds or the leaves in any quantity.

]]> By: Portia McCracken http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2604 Portia McCracken Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:17:16 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2604 Oops, maybe a little more research is in order. The Monarch also lives on the milkweed, so protecting that plant is also important: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkweed_butterfly Oops, maybe a little more research is in order. The Monarch also lives on the milkweed, so protecting that plant is also important: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkweed_butterfly

]]> By: Tanya Walton http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2603 Tanya Walton Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:10:36 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2603 Nice to know that there are buge we can live in harmony with!! Nice to know that there are buge we can live in harmony with!!

]]> By: nancy http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2602 nancy Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:38:41 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2602 Do you still have butterfly weed in bloom? Awesome! I have hundreds of these bugs, too and I kill them off when I see them on the leaves. I raise Monarch caterpillars and I'm not willing to share with the bugs. =) Do you still have butterfly weed in bloom? Awesome! I have hundreds of these bugs, too and I kill them off when I see them on the leaves. I raise Monarch caterpillars and I’m not willing to share with the bugs. =)

]]> By: Kat http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2600 Kat Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:43:00 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2600 Our temperature plummeted to an overnight low of 18 degrees Fahrenheit two nights ago. I guess we won't be seeing any more bugs for a while up here. The sad news is that we were prematurely stripped of our autumn. The leaves on the trees in our yard were still green, but now they're frozen, brown, and falling. The forecast for tomorrow says snow... Our temperature plummeted to an overnight low of 18 degrees Fahrenheit two nights ago. I guess we won’t be seeing any more bugs for a while up here.

The sad news is that we were prematurely stripped of our autumn. The leaves on the trees in our yard were still green, but now they’re frozen, brown, and falling.

The forecast for tomorrow says snow…

]]> By: Gloria Carrington-Ferrira http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/10/milkweed-bugs.html/comment-page-1#comment-2598 Gloria Carrington-Ferrira Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:28:07 +0000 http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/?p=1694#comment-2598 Thanks for sharing that . . I'm being bothered by bugs at the moment . . great photo . . yucky! Thanks for sharing that . . I’m being bothered by bugs at the moment . . great photo . . yucky!

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