@Perennialfan: If the smaller red bugs look like those in the second picture down on the right-hand side of the link I posted, they are immature milkweed bugs. MBs have an incomplete metamorphosis (meaning that the young look very much like the adults). @Ken: Milkweed bugs are in the order hemiptera, all of which have sucking mouthparts. This order of insects are commonly referred to as "true bugs" and includes such insects as aphids, woolly adelgids, leafhoppers, planthoppers, cicadas, stinkbugs and tens of thousands of others. I don't know whether they're called "true bugs" so as to distinguish them from the term "bug" to describe any insect, or whether there's another reason ... but I'm sure it's a lot easier for most people to handle than "hemiptera" (which really isn't so difficult, once you get used to it). Considering their apparent promiscuity, I don't know if any bugs are really true ;-) @Echinaceamaniac: You've sure got that right! I've seen the milkweed in our park take a lot of abuse from nature ... and still it thrives!

I'll keep my eye out for them, although I've never seen one before.

I believe you are confusing the milkweed beetles with the milkweed bugs. Below I've linked a previous thread on the subject. Here is a link that might be useful: Milkweed seeds no longer viable?

I purchased a systemic product - I think it is called Bayer Tree and Shrub. They had it at Lowes right in front of the check out in the garden center (it's in a blue bottle). Just mix it with some water in a bucket and pour it around the base of trees and shrubs that you have problems with. Last year those darn JBs totally defoliated a tree in my yard in a matter of days, and it was too late to act by the time I realized it was happening. I bought the systemic stuff to be prepared, and even set a reminder in my Outlook calendar to be sure to put the stuff out around the beginning of May. Of course, I never did it. I thought (mistakenly) that I was going to be fortunate enough to be bypassed by them this year. But no such luck. I think they were just late this year. At the first sign, I put the systemic product out, and although I still see some JBs near the tree and on some of my flowering plants near it, the leaves are still hanging in there, and mostly looking okay. The product is supposed to provide a year's worth of protection against a variety of insect pests. I don't know what the negative affects might be, but seems to me that something systemic will only harm those insects that are trying to eat my plants. However, my Lord Baltimore Hibiscus in the back looks horrible. I tried spraying Liquid Sevin, but didn't really do much good. I'm just waiting until the JBs are gone then I'll cut it back. Does anyone know if it will put out new growth this year if I cut it back? Haven't seen one single bloom because of those nasty bugs. ~Angie