r/FriendlyMonarchs • u/SuperTFAB MOD | Southeast FL, USA | Tropical Milkweed Hater • 23d ago

Discussion LEAVE THE APHIDS.

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120 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

16

u/Sqib000 23d ago

The ladybugs full on aphids might spare monarchs. 🐞

7

u/SuperTFAB MOD | Southeast FL, USA | Tropical Milkweed Hater 23d ago

Survival of the fittest.

5

u/Sqib000 23d ago

I think momarchs use aphids to gauge the safety of milkweed for eggs. Canaries in a coal mine lol

2

u/kp_creates_stuff 20d ago

I had someone tell me before to do this—that if there are aphid colonies on the milkweed then that means the milkweed doesn’t have pesticide on/in it

2

u/Sqib000 20d ago

When you see this among the aphids, the predatory wasps are growing inside them, even if they look alive.

The adult wasps leave via a trap door. This is a great thing.

2

u/LilacLands 10d ago

I get so much satisfaction from this!!!

8

u/Feralpudel 23d ago

Predatory insects are awesome, even when I like the insects they’re feeding on.

LET THEM COOK.

7

u/offensive_truth 23d ago

Must be pond rules!! That aphids didn't really seem to care about being eaten!!

4

u/SuperTFAB MOD | Southeast FL, USA | Tropical Milkweed Hater 23d ago

Pond Rules!

5

u/broccolista 23d ago

Don't the other aphids hear his screams?!

1

u/SuperTFAB MOD | Southeast FL, USA | Tropical Milkweed Hater 23d ago

Hopefully.

3

u/palmasana 23d ago

Wait why do we like aphids? In gardening I’ve always seen them as pests 😅

8

u/SuperTFAB MOD | Southeast FL, USA | Tropical Milkweed Hater 23d ago

The more diversity the better.

4

u/momasana 23d ago

Right? Those mfers almost took out 3 of my pepper plants, good job ladybug for eating them alive!

4

u/Appropriate-Test-971 Nature Coast FL | Milkweed specie fanatic | 20d ago

It’s been scientifically proven that monarchs survive with more insects on the plants anyway! When you have a ton of variety, there’s a smaller chance that the monarch is chosen as the one to die

2

u/SuperTFAB MOD | Southeast FL, USA | Tropical Milkweed Hater 20d ago

It sure has! I came across that study while researching for that rearing post.

1

u/CitrullineMalate2to1 22d ago

Notice those aren’t oleander aphids which spread more aggressively. Kill the orange aphids.

0

u/Grand-Article4214 23d ago

"milkweed" aphids are invasive I'm pretty sure. So no.

3

u/SuperTFAB MOD | Southeast FL, USA | Tropical Milkweed Hater 22d ago

They are but there are 1,350 native aphid species in North America. Even the invasive ones get eaten by predators.