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PICTURE OF THE WEEK: "SMALL VS. LARGE MILKWEED BUGS" 7/20/08

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The photo on the left shows Small Milkweed Bugs, and the photo on the right shows Large Milkweed Bugs. They were both on a Pink Swamp Milkweed plant. Their markings are pretty similar, but you can see a difference. The color varies from orangish to red. I've seen lots of disagreement on the Internet over just how destructive these two insects are to milkweed plants. They feed on the seeds and "tissue", but I've never noticed any significant damage to the plants, especially compared to what aphids do to the milkweed. In areas where milkweed could grow out of control, insects like these help keep it in check. Just like Monarch caterpillars and butterflies, Milkweed Bugs are toxic to predators because they ingest toxin from the milkweed plants.

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Welcome to WildlifeTheater.com. All of the videos (except 1) on this site and almost all of the photographs you'll find here were taken in our small yard in the middle of suburbia. I hope you'll see that you don't have to have an "estate" or live far away from civilization to find, attract and nurture a wide variety of wildlife. Enjoy, and come back often.

-Tim