Those are aphids. You can wash them out or hope for lady bugs.

Omar

Thank you so much! I'm not using any insecticides anywhere in my yard (duh - trying to grow butterflies) so will try washing them off. I have some lady bugs but they must not be hungry enough.

Marti

You're welcome, Marti. You may also want to reduce the amount of water you are providing. Aphids thrive in high moisture areas.

Omar

This was a question that Bob Webster answered yesterday morning on his talk show. He said that aphids hate the taste of garlic, so if you have aphids on your roses or plants to spary them with garlic. He said to remove buds on the plant, because the aphids are inside the buds and have already damaged those buds. The new buds will be aphid free. Most people plant milkweed, because they want to attract aphids, to bring in beneficial bugs, like lady bugs into their yard. If you want to get rid of them, then use garlic spray. Barbra

I thought most people planted milkweed because they want to bring monarch butterflies into their yard and will lay eggs on them. I've never heard of anyone planting them to attract lady bugs. It's never worked for me at all, I always have to find a way to remove the aphids.

You need to look at some gardening videos on your computer, that is what I do during the winter months.. I have heard it more than once by gardeners. Saying they do not kill aphids on the milkweed, since they bring ladybugs into your yard. I personally plant milkweed for monarch butterflies, but since I have seen these videos, I no longer kill aphids on my milkweed. Sometimes the aphids might kill a plant, I just pull up the sacrificial milkweed. I have a yard full of ladybugs. In fact if you did not know it they swarm like bees in my yard. Its unbelievable!. I just could not believe it when I first saw it. Barbra

I planted milkweed last summer to attract aphids off my other plants. This spring I was surprised with monarch caterpillars feeding on the milkweed. Two caterpillars made cocoons (sp?) on my hydrangea and turned into butterflies! I think you can leave the aphids alone and nature will do it's thing! The aphids are ugly but not a big deal in the big picture! Here's a picture of one of the monarchs coming out of the cocoon.

I love learning something that I hadn't really considered before! I always looked at aphids as a pest that must be dealt with. Using milkweed as a trap plant makes perfect sense and the upside is the Monarchs and ladybugs!

Gorgeous picture HearittTX!

Thanks again to all for the discussion. I released about 2000 ladybugs in my yard and that's about all I'm going to do. Too many Monarch eggs on the milkweed to risk anything else.