Large Milkweed Bug
Oncopeltus fasciatus
41.4579, -73.256
Field Notes
Description:
Numerous nymphs - mostly later instars that were overall orange-yellow and black in color. They had black abdominal spots, orange pronotum with black posterior margin, and black wingpads.
Habitat:
Spotted on milkweed plants in a large, open meadow.
Notes:
Oncopeltus fasciatus is considered to be a model organism, and is often reared for laboratory experiments. These insects are very easy to rear and handle, have a short developmental time, and high fecundity. When I was in graduate school, I reared these insects and helped conduct experiments to investigate the potential for nontarget effects of entomopathogenic fungi used in the biological control of ticks.
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