2025 August 15 OMG Aphids!

It seems like right now in every gardening forum new gardeners are freaking out about aphids, especially on their milkweed plants. Those little orange Oleander Aphids are definitely covering my Common Milkweed and Swamp Milkweed at the moment. Am I freaking out? No. Should you freak out? No.

The Oleander Aphids are out in force on my Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).

Oleander Aphids are not native to North America. A lot of times, we might consider an overpopulation of a nonnative species “invasive” and look for methods to eliminate them. Please just leave them alone. Any method to kill them, even the sharp spray of water method, would also kill your baby monarch caterpillars, eggs or chrysalis. They are disguised so well, they are easy to miss, even to the trained eye. 

A monarch grabbing some zinnia nectar tonight. Aphids don’t bother them. Zinnias are another non native friend that I consider a beneficial annual. They fill in nicely where there are bare spots in the garden. 

Además, Oleander Aphids are a favorite snack of ladybugs. I watched a ladybug chowing down on them just yesterday. They are voracious. Now, ladybugs may eat monarch baby caterpillars, but they will go for aphids instead when given the choice (an OSU blog cites the study). This is beneficial to monarch caterpillars. It’s ok to trust that nature will take care to balance things out. 

A strong population of Milkweed Bugs on Common Milkweed.  These guys are friends. 

Remember: milkweed plants exist to be eaten. They won’t look amazing in August if you’re doing things right. You will see tons of Red Milkweed Beetles and Milkweed Bugs and aphids and monarchs and lacewings and ladybugs…everyone plays a part in this. 

Aphids on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Be happy if something is eating them! It’s part of an ecosystem! Let them be! 

Even Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) has aphids. Check out that spiderweb in the left corner though. Some spider is having snack time. 

This Asian Ladybeetle is snacking on aphids.