large milkweed bug

(Oncopeltus fasciatus)

Conservation Status
large milkweed bug
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

The pronotum is black with orange lateral margins.

The forewings (hehelytra) are mostly black. Each has one forward-pointing and one backward-pointing orange triangle separated by a broad black band.

The antennae have 4 segments.

The part of the leg corresponding to the foot (tarsus) has 3 segments and a pad at the base of each claw.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: to 11 16

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Meadows and fields

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Late summer to fall. One or more generation per year.

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

Adults overwinter

 
     
 

Nymph Food

 
 

Seeds of milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

Milkweed seeds

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  10/10/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Hemiptera (true bugs, hoppers, aphids, and allies)  
 

Suborder

Heteroptera (true bugs)  
 

Infraorder

Pentatomomorpha (pentatomomorph bugs)  
 

Superfamily

Lygaeoidea (seed bugs and allies)  
 

Family

Lygaeidae (seed bugs)  
 

Subfamily

Lygaeinae  
 

Genus

Oncopeltus  
  Subgenus Erythrischius  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

greater milkweed bug

large milkweed bug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Hemelytron

The forewing of true bugs (Order Hemiptera), thickened at the base and membranous at the tip. Plural: hemelytra.

 

Pronotum

The exoskeletal plate on the upper side of the first segment of the thorax of an insect.

 

Tarsus

On insects, the last two to five subdivisions of the leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. On spiders, the last segment of the leg. Plural: tarsi.

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Babette Kis

 
 

Large milkweed bug and nymphs - Oncopeltus fasciatus

… large milkweed bug and nymphs on common milkweed, Chiwaukee Prairie, Kenosha Co., WI, taken Sept 4, 2021.

  large milkweed bug  
 

Clark Thompson

 
 

all over our butterfly weed plant.

 
    large milkweed bug      
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    large milkweed bug   large milkweed bug  
           
    large milkweed bug   large milkweed bug  
           
    large milkweed bug   large milkweed bug  
 

Margot Avey

 
    large milkweed bug      
 

Wayne Rasmussen

 
    large milkweed bug      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    large milkweed bug   large milkweed bug  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug)
Allen Chartier
 
  Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug)  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this insect.

 
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Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Milkweed bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus
EmCalScientific
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on May 28, 2009

Video of Milkweed bug - Oncopeltus fasciatus recorded on EmCal Scientific's Mycroflex™ Video Imaging System. For more information visit http://www.emcalscientific.com

 
  Large Milkweed Bug
MrBrownThumb
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 3, 2010

Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) is a bug that you'll find growing on milkweed plants. These rather large black and orange-red bugs feed on the seeds of milkweed plants. While they're not pollinators in the garden they are a pest if you are trying to grow milkweeds in your garden.

 
  Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) Molting
Mark Berman
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 16, 2012

No description available.

 
  Large Milkweed Bug (Lygaeidae: Oncopeltus fasciatus) on Pod
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Sep 4, 2010

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (04 September 2010). Go here to learn more about this species: http://bugguide.net/node/view/504

 
  Insecto del Algodoncillo (Oncopeltus fasciatus) Large Milkweed Bug
VideotecaFaunaPR
 
   
 
About

Published on Mar 12, 2013

Este es un insecto muy vistoso, nectarívoro, que anbunda en los bosques semi-húmedos del sur de Puerto Rico. Este ejemplar fue descubierto y filmado por el estudiante voluntario Anthony Soto Rivera.

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Babette Kis
9/4/2021

Location: Chiwaukee Prairie, Kenosha Co., Wisconsin

… large milkweed bug and nymphs on common milkweed, Chiwaukee Prairie, Kenosha Co., WI, taken Sept 4, 2021.

large milkweed bug  
  Clark Thompson
8/11/2020

Location: Chattanooga, TN

all over our butterfly weed plant.

large milkweed bug  
  Alfredo Colon
8/4 - 9/5/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

large milkweed bug  
  Margot Avey
September, 2017

Location: St. Paul, MN

large milkweed bug  
  Wayne Rasmussen
8/25/2016

Location: Joy Park and Preserve in Maplewood, MN

large milkweed bug  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

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