orange and yellow aphids?

[Keith Petrosky]

Every time I order mexican milkweed, there are always yellow and orange aphids on them. By me, aphids are black and green. How come the aphids by me dont go on the milkweed? And why dont the milkweed aphids fly off, and spread on other plants? Could the 2 seperate species interbreed?

[aphid]

I don't think they can interbreed. The aphids on the milkweed are called Oleander Aphids, and they can ingest the toxins in the milkweed, whereas the local aphids cannot. When they mature, they too will turn brown/blackish and be able to fly. I've read that they originated from the mediteranean (spelling?) and that the ones we have in North America are all female, so when they reproduce they are just cloning themselves rather than mating.

At least that is what I have read. The Oleander Aphids usually find new sources of milkweed before other insects that rely on milkweed do, that's just my observation. So they are a pretty good indicator that a plant is in the Asclepias family. I'm not so sure about Hemp DogBane though, the Oleander Aphids seem to ignore it. Anyways, I'm no expert, I've just read some and observed them.

[Keith Petrosky]

My common milkweed has bright green aphids, are these a similar or different species?

[mmmatthew]

Aphids have been really bad for the wild milkweed this year around here.
The ants are always taking care of the pesky aphids and ruining the milkweed!

[mommalepapillon]

are the ants good then? I have ants and yellow aphids..

Is the tachnid fly the one with little gold like wings?
How do I get rid of them.. tried swatting them not a good thing for the milk weed

thanks all

[John Beaulieu]

I first saw these yellow aphids last winter on the tropical milkweed that I had brought indoors. It gets quite tall outdoors, so I cut it off when I bring it inside and that way I don't have this huge clump of plant to deal with for most of the winter. The aphids persisted even with spraying insecticidal soap (Safers Endall seemed to work best). The aphids never spread to my other houseplants. I have had them (aphids) outside this year on several of my milkweeds. These seem to prefer the tropical and the swamp milkweed, as well as seedlings of any milkweed species. I guess they go for the most tender plants. I have been keeping the outdoor plants fairly free of the apids by using my hose as a sort of pressure washer, blasting them off the plant... worked fine. Now that the monarch season is over here, I will resort to something stronger before I bring the tropicals inside. We are getting our first frost warning tonight (temps down to 2 degrees C).



John

[Barbara Bishop]

Aphids can be sprayed with neem oil, and organic spray which they hate but doent bother the cats