Umm is that a photo or an abstract texture?

That is a photo of the larva that is eating the milkweed.

I think that might be the larva of the Milkweed Leaf Beetle (Labidomera clivicollis) sometimes also referred to as the Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle. At maturity, they look like giant lady bugs. Is this larva sort of grayish colored and soft? This beetle eats the leaves of many varieties of milkweed. They can strip a small milkweed plant if left on the plant.

Cover your children's eyes.

This is the only photo I have of them. They can fly short distances and will also drop quickly from the leaf they're feeding on if they feel threatened. This photo is the only one I've been able to get of them, no doubt because they were distracted!

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Mary

I went out this morning and tried to take a closeup of the soft sided larva of the Milkweed Leaf Beetle (Labidomera clivicollis). The little dots along the side match the ones in your photo. I think this is your ravenous culprit!

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Mary

Here is a link that might be useful: good Info on this Beetle

I think I'm happy I've never seen these ;)

Those can be extremely destructive. They've killed my plants in the past. If they survive to adulthood, more generations can come back later. It's the cumulative damage that does the most damage, I've found. any time you see them, kill as many as you can. Check on the underside of the leaves. I've got a special inspection mirror on an expandable handle that helps a lot for that purpose.

Thank you all. That is indeed the culprit!!!