Oncopeltus fasciatus, known as the large milkweed bug, is a medium-sized hemipteran (true bug) of the family Lygaeidae.[2] It is distributed throughout North America, from Central America through Mexico and the Caribbean to southern areas in Canada.[2]Costa Rica represents this insect's southern limit.[3] It inhabits disturbed areas, roadsides, and open pastures.[4] Due to this widespread geographic distribution, this insect exhibits varying life history trade-offs depending on the population location, including differences in wing length and other traits based on location.[5][6]
^ abAttisano, A. (2013)
Oosorption and migratory strategy of the milkweed bug,Oncopeltus fasciatus. Animal Behaviour 86(3):651-657.
^Baldiwn, D.J., Dingle, H. (1986) Geographic variation in the effects of temperature on life history traits in the large milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus. Oecologia 69(1): 64-71.
^Dingle, H., Palmer, J.O., Leslie, J.F. (1986) Behaviour genetics of flexible life histories in milkweed bugs (Onceopeltus fasciatus). Evolutionary Genetics of Invertebrate Behavior. New York: Plenum Press.