Insects Feeding on Various Parts
of Milkweeds (Asclepias
spp.)
| Insects | ||
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Plant Parts |
| Milkweed Longhorn | Tetraopes basalis | Larvae bore into stems, adults eat foliage & flowers |
| Common Milkweed Beetle | Tetraopes tetrophthalmus | Larvae bore into roots, adults eat young leaves, buds, & flowers |
| Western Milkweed Beetle | Tetraopes femoratus | Larvae bore into roots, adults eat young leaves, buds, & flowers |
| Milkweed Leaf-Eating Beetle | Labidomera clivicollis | Eats foliage |
| Milkweed Stem Weevil | Rhyssematus lineaticollis | Larvae feed on pith of stems, adults suck juices of stems |
| Large Milkweed Bug | Oncopeltus fasciatus | Eats developing seeds |
| Small Milkweed Bug | Lygaeus kalmii | Sucks juices of stems and foliage |
| Milkweed Leaf-Miner Fly | Liriomyza asclepiadis | Larvae tunnel through leaves* |
| Monarch | Danaus plexippes | Larvae eat foliage, buds, & flowers, adults suck nectar from flowers |
| Milkweed Tussock Moth | Enchaetes egla | Larvae eat foliage** |
| Unexpected Cycnia | Cycnia inopinatus | Larvae eat foliage |
| Delicate Cycnia | Cycnia tenera | Larvae eat foliage |
| Yellow Milkweed Aphid | Aphis nerii | Sucks juices from upper stems & leaves |
| Black Aphid | Aphis rumicis | Sucks juices from upper stems & leaves |
| Green Peach Aphid | Myzus persciae | Sucks juices from upper stems & leaves |
| Red Aphid | Macrosiphum rudbeckiae | Sucks juices from upper stems & leaves** |
| Eastern Flower Thrip | Frankliniella tritici | Sucks juices from flowers** |
| Milkweed Ladybird Beetle | Brachyacantha ursina | Predator; feeds on aphids feeding on milkweeds |
*Found on Asclepias syriaca, A. sullivantii, & A. purpurascens
**Found on Asclepias syriaca