Red milkweed beetle of the longhorn beetle family gets its name because of its red coloration and also since it feeds on the milkweed plants.
Size: 8 – 15 mm (0.31 – 0.59 inches)
Color: They have a reddish-orange body with prominent black spots all over.
Other Characteristic Features: These beetles have long legs and antennae. Like most other longhorn beetles, this species also have their antennae situated close to their eyes.
When newly hatched, the larvae locate the milkweed roots by tunneling and burrowing into the soil.
The pupal phase begins in the earthen chambers that the larva makes in the soil.
The small-sized eggs appear red, primarily laid in summer, in clutches near the roots and stems of milkweed plants.
| Other Names | Milkweed beetle |
| Adult lifespan | About a month |
| Duration of larval stage | Not recorded |
| Distribution | Parts of North America |
| Habitat | Gardens, road edges, grasslands, and everywhere else their host plants grow |
| Common Predators | Birds, and bats |
| Seasons active from | Not recorded |
| Host Plants | Milkweed |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Roots Adults: Flowers, buds, leaves |
The larvae eat the roots, while the adults feed on the leaves, flowers, and buds. In this way, they cause significant damage to the entire plant hampering its growth to a great extent.
Image Source: i.pinimg.com, s3.amazonaws.com, live.staticflickr.com
Red milkweed beetle of the longhorn beetle family gets its name because of its red coloration and also since it feeds on the milkweed plants.
Size: 8 – 15 mm (0.31 – 0.59 inches)
Color: They have a reddish-orange body with prominent black spots all over.
Other Characteristic Features: These beetles have long legs and antennae. Like most other longhorn beetles, this species also have their antennae situated close to their eyes.
When newly hatched, the larvae locate the milkweed roots by tunneling and burrowing into the soil.
The pupal phase begins in the earthen chambers that the larva makes in the soil.
The small-sized eggs appear red, primarily laid in summer, in clutches near the roots and stems of milkweed plants.
| Other Names | Milkweed beetle |
| Adult lifespan | About a month |
| Duration of larval stage | Not recorded |
| Distribution | Parts of North America |
| Habitat | Gardens, road edges, grasslands, and everywhere else their host plants grow |
| Common Predators | Birds, and bats |
| Seasons active from | Not recorded |
| Host Plants | Milkweed |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Roots Adults: Flowers, buds, leaves |
The larvae eat the roots, while the adults feed on the leaves, flowers, and buds. In this way, they cause significant damage to the entire plant hampering its growth to a great extent.
Image Source: i.pinimg.com, s3.amazonaws.com, live.staticflickr.com
