Small Milkweed Bug - Lygaeus kalmiiWith Tuesday’s insect still fresh on our minds (Happy Valen

Small Milkweed Bug - Lygaeus kalmiiWith Tuesday’s insect still fresh on our minds (Happy Valentine’s Day), I’m following it up with another black and red insect that has a similar appearance that one. The two are often confused for one another at first glance, but they have their differences in patterning and behavior once you get close enough. Common Firebugs have those large spots on their reduced wings, while today’s subject - the Small Milkweed Bug - has a red “x” pattern with black-colored bordering. Look for little simple eyes on the head of the Small Milkweed Bug too! These are called ocelli, and many other orders of insects have these too! These little ocelli are a big help for insects that need to get around by flying (since they help with the intake of information). However, just because Red Bugs lack ocelli, doesn’t mean they won’t fly, but some of them unfortunately wound up with reduced wings. Today’s showcase however, is a Seed Bug and can make great use of its wings to scale milkweed stalks and make a sudden escape if it’s been found tucked behind a seed pod. Though they may look similar to the Common Firebug (among others), their nesting and feeding habits have some differences. You may see aggregations of the Small Milkweed Bug in an area dominated by flowers or scrounging around on the milkweed stalks, but the numbers will be much less. You’re more than likely to only find one or two, or maybe a mating pair? As they roam around the milkweed stalk, they search for the most valuable food sources they can: flowers and seeds! Some of the individuals in these photos have struck liquid gold! These milkweed flowers are ripe for the drinking, and using their straw-like rostrum, taking a sip can be done in a snap! Yeah they really like to get in there. While milkweed is the best choice here, they can drink from other flowers if they need to, especially if other insects swoop in a take all the nectar before they can. The milkweed pods are the next best target for all the seeds they house, making them valuable for eat and to lay eggs on. Depending on how fast your milkweed grows, you may want to monitor for these insects, but you can rest assured they pose little harm to your milkweed plants. They’ll share the territory with other milkweed dwelling insects, but it’ll be up to all of us to see if they bully other insects away from the delicious flower nectar.Pictures were taken on July 2, 12, 21 and August 2, 2020 with a Google Pixel 4. -- source link

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