Large Milkweed Bug Range. Because milkweed pods are crowded with milkweed bugs in these gulp waning days of summer the buglady has spruced up this botw from five years ago with some new facts and photos. They are two species of milkweed bugs one smaller than the other.
The small milkweed bugs lygaeus kalmii are between 1 8 1 2 11 12 mm long. The adult large milkweed bug is deep orange and black and the distinct black band across its back helps to distinguish it from similar species. This helps to control the milkweed plant which can be invasive but is also an important food source and breeding location for monarch butterflies.
They are most often seen clustered in large groups on milkweed plant seed pods.
Ok so writhing masses of shiny red nymphs give some people. It inhabits disturbed areas roadsides and open pastures. Large milkweed bugs cannot survive winter s chill in northern climes. Most people don t realize that large milkweed bugs like monarch butterflies undergo annual migrations throughout much of the range of milkweeds from southern states and mexico where they spend the winter to northern states and southern canada where they spend the summer.