The most lively spot in my garden is my patch of milkweed. Three of its regulars are all seeking the same thing, toxic cardiac glycosides. As they feed on the milky latex, an acquired taste for sure, they become more and more toxic or poisonous, the key to survival. Not only does it keep birds, frogs, and other bug eaters from feeding on them, it improves their sexual partnerships. The degree of toxicity is viewed as highly desirable, it will be passed on to their progeny, which female partners see as a win, win.

The milkweed bug, one of the three frequent visitors, is easily seen. Bright orange-red with black bands, this beetle-looking bug feeds entirely on the seed pods. Technically known as Oncopeltus fasciatus, which means banded, they huddle in large groups of 20 or so. The coloration is known as aposematic from Greek; away, meaning keep away. Red is the common example of this, like the poison dart frog, it's a warning. The gardener is wise to pay heed, the strategy may not always mean poisonous to eat, but painful to touch. Stinging insects, like the velvet ant, with its bright red band (actually a wasp), should always be left alone.

The milkweed bug will go through several molts or instars, developing wings in the end and leaving. Their feeding location, just on seed pods, makes them relatively harmless; there is usually plenty to go around.

Secondly we find the oleander aphid. They feed on new growth and will cluster at the end of stems. Yellow in color, they are also hard to miss. Other common names include milkweed aphid and sweet pepper aphid, they are Aphis nerii, the epithet for a Celtic tribe of Spain, it speaks to a location. One can also find hawk moth - Daphnis nerii or oleander hawk moth from the same place.

Most gardeners are alarmed at both of these feeding insects. Sheer numbers and bright colors make them hard to dismiss. The truth is, they don't kill the plant. Do not run and grab the insecticide. The relationship with the plant was intended, one makes poison, the other feeds on it.

Our third visitor and feeder is the monarch butterfly larvae. The more desirable guest, maybe the reason we are growing milkweed in the first place. Not as colorful, striped yellow, black and white, they like the leaves but will also dine on seed pods and flowers. In hard times they will chew on bare stems, ingesting as much of the toxic extract to make them undesirable to birds. The bright color comes as the butterfly emerges with wings of orange.

All three of these feeders share milkweed, the monarch attracted to the leaves for laying eggs and then eating and nectaring as adults. I do not try to spray off the aphids or the milkweed bugs, chances are I'm also spraying off caterpillars. Over the years I have watched my plants get devoured. So much so, that this year I had to make extra runs to the nursery to get more plants. As all three players move from plant to plant, I watch them feed and have seen the caterpillars actually eat the aphids as they reach the tops of the stems. Like popping a poison pill, it's all good.