Well, searched info on this bug. I also think it is same as milkweed bug. Question is- does it eat the plant or just defending it? Why is it on umbels if not eating.I noted small droplet of clear fluid where the bug has been.
Also see the buds shrinking.
I drowned 5 of these bugs this morning,in an insecticide solution. they fly away very quickly and not that easy to catch. I will go bug hunting in evening again. Also,the bug seems to prefer Hoyas over my milkweed.
Editing to include website link and information from a website about the bugs-
".....Now, here's the question: Are these 'good' bugs or 'bad' bugs? It depends upon what you consider to be good or bad. Since the Milkweed Bugs are seed and sap-suckers, and since Milkweed is an important host plant in MY garden, I consider them a 'bad' bug. This means, I am going to prefer that they do NOT live in my garden. Others may disagree with me but I've found that having them in the garden, my Asclepias' seed pods have become deformed and I am unable to gather the seeds that I want."
"What do I do then when I come upon these critters? Since they don't bite or sting, I squish 'em. That is the easiest method for ridding the Milkweed of them. If a whole 'herd' is gathered on a seed pod (usually the little nymphs), then I take a paper towel and wrap it around the pod to gather them up to squish. The little ones do tend to 'run' quite fast! The adults can fly, so keep this in mind as well."
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Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
IF they indeed do suck, then BATS (Imidocloprid) should do the trick. The plant takes it up systemically. However, it is not supposed to affect the buds nor the flowers....but other evidence says that it does affect them.... If you have other milkweed around, I don't see how you are going to keep them off your hoyas. They all belong to the same family.
Hi Carol,Thanks for the response.
I would hate to pull out all the milkweed. These bugs do not seem to care for it either. They also do not go to my Plumeria either but right now Plumerias have no leaves and most of them have no flowers.May be bugs will like Plumeria better once summer is in full swing.May be another month.
But,on other hand I do not see any Monarchs this year. In fact I see no butterflies around this time. Wonder what is going on.May be mild winter has something to do with it.
I was really looking forward to blooms but the bugs destroyed them. They seem to love pubicalyx although they go to other Hoyas too.
Lowes did not have it yesterday,can you believe it? I did not go to Home Depot.
I will try getting BATS on weekend and see what happens. How much do you put in? Do you use certain strength?
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
Be sure to get the TREE and SHRUB (I say this becuase I have purchased another 'use' by mistake...the Mite and Insect Control....don't ask me why...brain dead I guess)....2 tblsp. per gallon ...really soak the plant.
I grow a fair amount of Milkweed for the Monarch Butterflies, and that Milkweed Bug will get on them but it's never bothered my Hoya's...and they actually seem to prefer certain milkweeds also.
I spray them with soapy water, as I'd be afraid the BATS would harm the Butterflies.
Well,I pulled out all my Milkweed and drenched the soil of my hoya pots with BATS as recommended above. Unable to get plain BATS though.One I got is BATS dual action formula 'protect and feed'.It has some nitrogen in it.I think 4 1 1 ratio.I caught at least 12 of these bugs today and drowned them in toxic stuff. H.pubicalyx was putting out a beautiful umbel and I found tiny orange baby insects in there.Must be at least 20-30 anong the buds.I sprayed the whole umbel with another formulation. Will see what happens.They were mainly on pubicalyx and some on crassicaulis,sucking away the juices from buds.
How long would it take for BATS to get rid of bugs?
Alka, you can in the mean time, make up a solution of a few drops of dish soap in a quart sprayer and spray them, let it sit on them for about 5 minutes then rinse off.
Make sure you don't allow Butterflies or Hummingbirds near your blooming Hoya's now tho...as it could be toxic to them also.
Oh, there is not a single butterfly left here. Never saw hummingbirds here despite so many plants to attract them. I think,south Florida is too hot for them because central and north Florida do report sightings as I read on other forums.
Other day I saw a wasp munching on monarch caterpillar and he kept coming back for more. Poor caterpillar.That made me feel really disgusted even though it is just nature. I think other critters may be feasting on butterfly eggs/caterpillars.
May be when spring comes it will get better.
I do not use any insecticides (have pest control which does not seem to control any) in my yard
or plants but may be I should start now. I used to put dish soap solution on aphids but it did not do anything.Nothing seems to eat the,even the ladybugs.I have plenty of lizards/anoles but they do not think of aphids/bugs are food.
MJ, when I spray with dish soap water,should I do it all over,soil,buds and leaves etc or just leaves?
We get tons of butterflies here, and hummers...they have been here all winter this year, they hibernate when it's cold then pop back out when it warms up.We specifically plant things to attract them tho, and wage war on wasps and other Butterfly predators.
I spray the whole plant down, under the leaves, stems, pot, then gently rinse off. Let dry in the shade.
Thanks MJ. Can you please share what you plant to attract butterflies,hummers....and what do do do to get rid of predators....may be in the mail ?
I think we should have a 'non hoya plant' section here too ,for the discussions related to rest of the gardening practice that benefits Hoya. I know there are separate forums for that but how many forums can one join and browse.......
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
Alka...putting a drop of cooking oil (maybe 2 )in the soapy water acts as a spreader and suffocant. You can also spray full strength alcohol on your plant against the mealie bugs and it doesn't hurt the plant. If your problem is aphids, I would look to eradicate the ants that are farming them. The ants nest in the ground in the roots of our fruit trees here and dusting the ground at the base of the tree just where it meets the ground with SEVIN really works. I leave it be, usually, as there are natural preditors...but sometimes they get to be too much. Aphids will die with BATS.....
Perhaps our POWERS THAT BE might want to open another forum for Growing Probelms...?
I have not seen those milkweed bugs here in western Mass before, not even when I was collecting milkweed roots and later seeds for Regina. But two days ago my wife pointed out a bug on the screen and sure enough that was it. In the house no less! Yesterday we had icecicles and looking out the window there was a live one crawling on the icecicle. I would not have believed it had I not seen it myself. Sooo, glad to have this chat about it and will esp. watch here indoors. I plant all kinds of flowers to attract the butterflies and don't have the heart to treat outdoors and take the chance of killing the good critters. Catch 21?
)in the soapy water acts as a spreader and suffocant. You can also spray full strength alcohol on your plant against the mealie bugs and it doesn't hurt the plant. If your problem is aphids, I would look to eradicate the ants that are farming them. The ants nest in the ground in the roots of our fruit trees here and dusting the ground at the base of the tree just where it meets the ground with SEVIN really works. I leave it be, usually, as there are natural preditors...but sometimes they get to be too much. Aphids will die with BATS..... 
