Last week's challenge was to search for orange things. I found plenty of orange leaves, both on the trees and on the ground, and a patch of marigolds that somehow escaped the freeze. And I found these guys: milkweed bugs.
They look reddish or orange, with black markings. The adults have wings; the nymphs don't. Yet. Milkweed bugs have piercing mouthparts and snack on milkweed pods, stems, and even seeds - though I think they leave the fluff for the mice and birds to use as nesting material.
I managed to snag a few seeds before the bugs took over... and planted them in my garden so next summer I can have more milkweed! More monarchs! And, in late fall, more milkweed bugs!
If there are milkweed plants growing near you, check out the pods and stems for milkweed bugs.
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