I doubt very much that what you're observing is a regional loss of Assassin bugs. Do you know what kind off assassin bugs they are? That name is generically used for several different species. What do the adults look like?

These reds are babies, instars of the adult to come.
They hatch out at different times each year depending on
weather and temperature and they tend to stay near where
they hatched.

their official name seems to be milkweed assassin because they are assassin bugs that resemble the milkweed bug.

i'm have searched my yard and can't find a single one. i had hundreds before. the little nymphs would sometimes hitch a ride on my cat and get into the house.

an adult milkweed assassin bug

Great bugs to have around!

Okay, I have hundreds of these on my asclepias tuberosa in the fall. Is this what makes people call it chiggerweed, they do make me want to cut the whole thing down to get rid of them. Are they the same, and who do they eat?

Organic, what you are seeing on your milkweed are NOT the same, at all. Yours are true milkweed bugs and feed on the seeds of milkweed plants. There are two species of milkweed bugs, large and small. A picture would allow me to identify which you have.

The red assassin bugs being discussed in this thread are only related....they are predatory insects not seed eaters.

Many plants are called 'chigger weeds '. In my experience it most commonly referred to Queen Anne's lace.

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