Red Milkweed Beetle

Natural Habitat

Fields, meadows, and gardens wherever milkweed plants (Asclepias species) are present across North America.

Diet & Feeding

Strictly herbivorous; adults feed on the leaves, buds, and flowers of milkweed, while larvae bore into and feed on the roots.

Behavior Patterns

Diurnal and active throughout the summer. They derive protection from predators by sequestering toxins (cardiac glycosides) from the milkweed plant. A unique characteristic is that their antennae base actually splits their eyes in two, giving them four separate eyes.

Risks & Benefits

They are generally harmless to humans and do not bite or sting. While they damage milkweed plants, they rarely kill them and are considered an interesting component of the milkweed ecosystem rather than a major pest.

Identified on: 6/12/2026