~misfit~ wrote:
....
It also doesn't mention the fact that yellowjackets can bypass caterpillars
chemical protection so that they'll always go for the easy-to-see
caterpillars such as monarch butterfly larvae. I grow plants specifically to
nurture several species of ornamental butterflies and the wasps always take
their larvae but never seem to find the well-camoflaged larvae of 'pest
species' such as cabbage white butterfly.

when i was growing cabbages, i would sit and
watch the wasps gather the eggs and worms. they
did help, but not enough to get them all.


Wasps will completely eradicate a large population of monarch butterfly
larvae while my vegetable crops get eaten to the ground by hornworms and the
like which the wasps never touch.

yes, nothing seems to get the tomato worms
other than me. i've yet to see any signs of the
parasitic bug that supposedly will use them as a
host.

there are at least two tomato worms out there
that i have not found yet, either it is too late
and they are done and back in the ground or they
are being particularly sneaky. oh well, it's ok
there's plenty...

nice rain today and some yesterday too and the
day before plus i watered that morning so the ground
is finally getting a good soaking. it's been a few
months of too dry weather.

a nice day for reading and frogging around here.


songbird