I know the Red Milkweed Beetles are nearly finished doing what they do at this time of year, and soon the adults will vanish and leave their eggs and larvae behind. However, the milkweed patch is a great source of entertainment and knowledge for naturalists until the very last seed blows away and the brown, dried body of the plant returns to the soil. This morning I spotted one milkweed beetle from my car seat even before I got my camera out of its bag. I got a close-up shot - always looking for the ultimate photo of this creature - then a shot from further back to show some context. Then, across the street, I found another patch of milkweeds that might have been above a leach line or septic tank as the leaves were huge. I balanced my pocket comb on a leaf to show its size. Impressive. When I returned to my milkweed beetle, she hadn't moved. I picked her up and watched her play possum in my hand, then placed her on a large concrete block nearby. It was a long while before she "woke up" and started to crawl away. Due to the early morning light, her shadow is as much a part of my composition as the beetle herself. I've added to this post one photo from another milkweed patch by Oakland Camp where the aphids were plentiful and somehow aesthetically pleasing to me. Finally, when I got home to my journal in which I'm playing with various border designs, I decided to try a sketch of the Red Milkweed Beetle from memory.
I know the Red Milkweed Beetles are nearly finished doing what they do at this time of year, and soon the adults will vanish and leave their eggs and larvae behind. However, the milkweed patch is a great source of entertainment and knowledge for naturalists until the very last seed blows away and the brown, dried body of the plant returns to the soil. This morning I spotted one milkweed beetle from my car seat even before I got my camera out of its bag. I got a close-up shot - always looking for the ultimate photo of this creature - then a shot from further back to show some context. Then, across the street, I found another patch of milkweeds that might have been above a leach line or septic tank as the leaves were huge. I balanced my pocket comb on a leaf to show its size. Impressive. When I returned to my milkweed beetle, she hadn't moved. I picked her up and watched her play possum in my hand, then placed her on a large concrete block nearby. It was a long while before she "woke up" and started to crawl away. Due to the early morning light, her shadow is as much a part of my composition as the beetle herself. I've added to this post one photo from another milkweed patch by Oakland Camp where the aphids were plentiful and somehow aesthetically pleasing to me. Finally, when I got home to my journal in which I'm playing with various border designs, I decided to try a sketch of the Red Milkweed Beetle from memory.
How do I get rid of these little guys?
ReplyDeleteSusie OTTER
They're asking each other, "How do I get rid of her?" I'm an aphid advocate.
ReplyDelete