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Black and Red Beetle (Milkweed Bug)

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interesting
by: bryan

hi, this beetle is normally found on rotting logs, called payneintheneck as when you have wood in the cave ( cellar ) they tend to fly everywhere when they mate!!!!!! ha ha but all said and done I would prefer a close up of the other insect!! good photo.

black and red bug
by: Anonymous

That't a milkweed bug and it's eating the seeds. I can't find anything really negative about them as they're seen as beneficial to help control the milkweed plant.

Small Milkweed Bug Lygaeus kalmii

Thanks !
by: GardenJoy

I don't know how to thank people for their information without "ranking" my own photo ? haha .. thanks in any case for posting the information .. I hadn't seen these little guys before .. was curious !
Joy : )

Small milkweed bug
by: Moni

Boxelder bugs and small milkweed bugs do look a lot a like. However, Joy, you do have the small milkweed bug like Donalda suggested. The small milkweed bug has more red markings and if you could see the rear wing area clearer, you would see there are only 4 or 5 veins, while the boxelder bug has many veins on the rear wing. The website that Donalda gave also has a photo of boxelder bug to help compare the two.
As Donalda noted, the small milkweed bug feeds on seeds of milkweeds. The boxelder bug feeds on box elder trees and come into houses in the fall...a real nuisance to those of us in the midwest US.

Bug
by: Anonymous

That is a Box Elder Bug...My mulch pile got infested with them last year when I pliled it up next to my silver maple in the back. They don't hurt anything, but can multiply quickly and will do anything to come into your house in the winter...

Milkweed Bug
by: Donalda

Joy, your insect is a milkweed bug.It appears from your picture that the plant you call butterfly weed is a milkweed. Milkweed bugs have few predators because of itheir bad taste. This bug feeds on the seeds and you will see them around as soon as the milkweed pods dry and pop open .More can be learned about them here.
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4TH/KKHP/1INSECTS/milkweed.html

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