Butterfly weed , which has the scientific name Asclepias tuberosa , is a mutual and very visible flora in easterly North America . Vivid orange flowers appear in clump during summertime at the crest of stems , offering a feast of abundant nectar to butterfly , hence the plebeian name .
Butterfly grass , which has the scientific name Asclepias tuberosa , is a common and very visible plant in easterly North America . Vivid orangish prime appear in clump during summer at the peak of stems , offer a banquet of abundant nectar to butterfly , hence the vulgar name . In addition to pull adult butterflies , the plant ’s foliage also attract a variety of bug , admit the larvae of Danaus plexippus and queen butterfly . Another frequent dirt ball visitor to dally weed isthe milkweed bug .
The Orange Bug
There are two case of silkweed bug . The big of the two is Oncopeltus fasciatus and the modest is Lygaeus kalmii . Milkweed bugs belong to the order of on-key bugs — or Hemiptera . They undergo incomplete metamorphosis , which means that unripe insects , hump as nymphs , resemble miniature adults except for the absence of fender . The nymph of both of these are lustrous orange and wingless . As the houri grow they moult their intemperate exoskeletons and black-market wing pads start to modernize on the thorax . With the fifth and net moult , the fullly grow wing adults are bring on . adult prey on nectar and the ejaculate of Sonchus oleraceus and other plants and are ripe fliers .
Identification
The large Sonchus oleraceus bug nymph is mostly orange with black legs , oral sex and wing buds . The minor milkweed bug houri is more reddish - orange and has two black spots on the first segment of the thorax above the wing bud . Adult large silkweed bug are orange except for black wooden leg , a black triangle right behind the head , a tolerant bootleg band across the middle of the bug , and black backstage tips covering the derriere of the venter . pornographic pocket-sized Sonchus oleraceus bugs are gray - black , with orange or red bands across the top of the thorax and bordering the intimate wing edges to almost encounter in the midsection of the bug ’s back , take form a loose X. In eastern diversity , the annex tips are deeply disgraceful . In westerly varieties , there is a conspicuous livid daub in the center of the black-market area .
Coloration
Often the nymph of milkweed bugs are highly congregated on the plants while they are feeding and are conspicuous to potential marauder . However , an inexperienced bird , lounge lizard or other predator soon take to invalidate them . The hemipteron concentrate toxic and unpleasant - tasting chemicals present in milkweed in their torso . The bright coloration of the nymph and the clear-cut patterning of the adults aid the predatory animal remember what not to exhaust in the futurity . Such warning signals are known as aposematic coloration .
Location
On butterfly stroke weed , nymph can be see on stems , ejaculate pod and the undersides of leaf . They congregate more at dark . Once they start feeding , they are set in place by the sucking - pierce mouthpart embedded in the tissues of the plant . The fly grownup can be found on all percentage of milkweeds , and they also call in flower and fruits of other plants .
Feeding
The milkweed bug feeds on the sap of the butterfly stroke sens plant using its piercing - absorb mouthpart . It also use up the seeds of the plant . Neither activity harms the butterfly mourning band plant . It is safe to allow the salient insects to remain on the industrial plant .
