Posts Tagged: Lygaeus kalmii

The Red Invaders: Those Colorful Milkweed Bugs

If you've been finding more milkweed bugs than monarchs on your milkweed, join the crowd. Monarchs are scarce--at least around Solano and Yolo...

A small milkweed bug Lygaeus kalmii) stands peers over the leaf of a milkweed plant, Asclepias speciosa, in Sonoma County. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A small milkweed bug Lygaeus kalmii) stands peers over the leaf of a milkweed plant, Asclepias speciosa, in Sonoma County. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Small milkweed bugs mingling on a showy milkeed, Asclepias speciosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Small milkweed bugs mingling on a showy milkeed, Asclepias speciosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A mass of small milkweed bugs, red invaders! The blood red color sharply contrasts with the green milkweed pod. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A mass of small milkweed bugs, red invaders! The blood red color sharply contrasts with the green milkweed pod. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What Are Those Red and Black Bugs on Milkweed?

Got milkweed? Then you probably have milkweed bugs. All summer and into fall, we spotted the familiar reddish, black and white bugs scurrying around...

Yule ornaments? No, just milkweed bugs about to reproduce. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Yule ornaments? No, just milkweed bugs about to reproduce. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of the Small Milkweed Bug, Lygaeus kalmii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of the Small Milkweed Bug, Lygaeus kalmii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Seed pod of the showy milkweed, Asclepias speciosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Seed pod of the showy milkweed, Asclepias speciosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A milkweed bug and a buffet of seeds from the showy milkweed, Asclepias speciosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A milkweed bug and a buffet of seeds from the showy milkweed, Asclepias speciosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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