The binomial genus and species names are both derived from the Ancient Greek for "four eyes."

As in many longhorn beetles, the antennae are situated very near the eye–in the red milkweed beetle, this adaptation has been carried to an extreme: the antennal base actually bisects the eye (See Fig.

[1] It has been reported on horsetail milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) in a disturbed site in Illinois.

[3][4] Therefore, much like the monarch butterfly, it is thought that the beetles derive some protection from predators by incorporating toxins from the plant into their bodies, thereby becoming distasteful.

[6] The red and black coloring are aposematic, advertising the beetles' inedibility.