Large Milkweed Bug

Oncopeltus fasciatus

Oncopeltus fasciatus, known as the large milkweed bug, is a medium-sized hemipteran of the family Lygaeidae. It is distributed throughout North America, from Central America through Mexico and the Caribbean to southern areas in Canada. Costa Rica is the southern limit of its range. It inhabits disturbed areas, roadsides, and open pastures. Due to this widespread geographic distribution, the large milkweed bug exhibits varying life history trade-offs depending on the population location, including differences in wing length and other traits based on location. Source

Where it is now

In the last 8 weeks this insect was recorded 147 times across 12 areas (each area is a 5 degree square).

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Movement and weather

Over the weeks it was present in the past year, its centre in North America ranged from 33°N in April to 41°N in August, about 900 km apart.

Arrival dates

The week it was first heard regularly in each region, after at least six weeks away. Dates differ from south to north, so a region has a range.

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Figures are effort corrected and come from automatic sound identification, which makes mistakes. How this is measured and how it compares with human observers.