milkweed bug

noun

1. any of several red and black lygaeid bugs, as Oncopeltus fasciatus, that feed on the juice of the milkweed.

Word History and Origins

Origin of milkweed bug¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

The researchers compared the genes that serve as blueprints for the sodium pump in poison-resistant species, like the milkweed beetle and the milkweed bug.

From New York Times