What's eating my green milkweed?

Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridis) is a prairie native favoured by monarchs, so caterpillar feeding is intentional and beneficial. Oleander aphids — compact yellow-orange colonies — are the genuine pest concern. Milkweed bugs consume seeds. Deer and rabbits browse shoots. Protect pollinators by hand-removing aphid colonies rather than spraying any insecticide.

Bright yellow to orange aphid clusters on stems and leaf undersides; honeydew deposits and sooty mold; growth distortion on new shoots Hand-crush or knock off with water; encourage predators — ladybird beetles, syrphid fly larvae, and parasitic wasps target aphid colonies; avoid all insecticide use near milkweed

Red-and-black bugs aggregate on seed pods and stems; feed on sap and seeds causing some pod damage Hand-pick if numbers are excessive; generally tolerated as a native species; plant health impact is minimal

Stems and leaves browsed down, can repeatedly set back young plants in areas with high deer pressure Repellent sprays or mesh guards on new plantings; mature clumps recover well from browsing due to deep tap roots