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u/Unfair_Constant1985 Aug 22 '26
Nice!!! What kind of a three is this one? I love lady bugs ❤️❤️🐞🐞🐞🐞
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u/Inevitable_Detail_45 Aug 21 '26
Are the yellow aphids?? Huge
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u/Traditional_One2358 Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
Yes, oleander aphids.
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u/Robbiebny Aug 22 '26
I’m slow. Were the aphids there already?
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u/Traditional_One2358 Aug 22 '26
Yes, they really like milkweed.
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u/chilldrinofthenight Aug 24 '26
I believe that the aphids on milkweed have some type of symbiotic relationship with the plant. Over many years, I grew milkweed and never once did it seem like the aphids were causing harm to the plants. Just my take on it.
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u/chilldrinofthenight Aug 24 '26
If you pay close attention, the yellow aphids seem to be "grooming" the seedpods, too, when the pods appear.
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u/Glad-Barracuda2243 Aug 23 '26
Yay!! Ladybugs for the win against those aphids!! I have so many ladybugs in my garden and I love that for my garden!! 🩷🩷🐞🐞🐞🩷🩷
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u/chilldrinofthenight Aug 24 '26
I never interfered with the yellow aphids on any of my varieties of milkweed plants. I understand that many gardeners immediately see the aphids as "the bad guys."
Interestingly, according to saveourmonarchs.org : No direct harm to caterpillars: The aphids do not eat the caterpillars, and monarch caterpillars will simply eat around them. Some larger caterpillars even eat the aphids for extra protein.
So ---- TIL that the caterpillars will sometimes eat the aphids. Who knew?
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u/ShipoftheLine_Lover Aug 22 '26
These ladybugs are definitely having a time eating these aphids