Does anyone know what these bugs are? This is a milkweed pod, growing inside a fenced garden at Bass River SF. They caught my attention because of the bright orange color, and the fact that there were so many of them together.
Bug ID help?
- Thread starter lj762
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Milkweed bugs; different varieties but all go for milkweed.
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www.thoughtco.com
7 Insects Commonly Found on Milkweed
Milkweed is not just for monarch butterflies. Many arthropods are commonly found on milkweed, including these seven insects.
Thanks! That's interesting. As the article says, to improve habitat for monarch butterflies, we've tried to plant milkweed in several places in the state forest. Sometimes from seeds, sometimes from small plants someone grows for us and delivers in plastic tubes. As far as I know, not one of the ones I planted survived. They grow very well in this garden, which is fenced in, so I think something is eating up all the small plants I planted elsewhere.
Might want to contact Rose Franklin; I bought some plants from her, very helpful. But hurry; she is planning to retire soon. She lives and breathes Monarch's and Milkweed. Would have liked to visit her farm located in PA. Some Milkweed is poisonous, no idea what would eat it.
Monarch eggs, caterpillars, larvae, pupae, chrysalises * Milkweed plants * Rose Franklin's Perennials, Spring Mills, PA
We offer what you need to raise Monarch buterflies at home or at school. We ship Monarch eggs, caterpillars, and pupae from June through Ocotober. We also offer milkweed plants to use as a food source for the caterpillars.
www.monarchs-and-milkweed.com
I've eaten the pods right after they emerge and no longer than two inches. Saute them in butter and sprinkle them with smoked sea salt the same way you would with fiddlehead ferns. Here is a more flavorful recipe: Buffalo style milkweed pod recipe
There are also small golden spiders that hide in the flowers of almost every goldenrod plant you come across. Peel the flower over to see the under side and within three or four tries you will almost certainly find a small crab shaped golden spider under them.
A major bug war battle began last night. There was a bad auto accident that took out the area's electrical power. I went to start up the genset and while hooking up the battery felt something on my left hand. Put the light on it and a yellow jacket showed up; squashed it but the damage was done; stung and the pheromones released. I saw where they were coming from before I got into the house, right under the generator shed. Got the wasp spray and hit the hole a couple times, but didn't help, so I retreated and got the small Honda out instead. In the morning something had dug out where the hole was. Part of the honeycomb was out and the hole was much, much bigger with some yellow jackets flittin around. Skunk or Racoon probably; brave critter. Got a new can of spray and will soak it good tonight once the temps get into the 50's.
Yellowjackets? Honeycomb? I think you either had honey bees or there was no comb but a paper nest???? Under the steps probably a yellowjacket paper nest
Definitely yellowjackets. Wrong terminology for the nest on my part. They must have been there all summer as the piece of the nest the critter dug out is about 10" across. Was not under steps but underground beneath the generator shed. The hole got sprayed real good last night, we'll see today how good my aim was. I just may pull up the shed floor this winter to see whats left under there.
Just noticed this next to my driveway a couple days ago, it's huge! 
Is this a wasps nest?
Some animal must have ripped it open, this is laying on the ground underneath.
Is this a wasps nest?Some animal must have ripped it open, this is laying on the ground underneath.
That is a Bald face Hornet nest. just got stung by a couple last summer.Not nearly as bad as they look but would hate to get hit with a whole nest of themJust noticed this next to my driveway a couple days ago, it's huge!
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Some animal must have ripped it open, this is laying on the ground underneath.
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