The Ranger wrote:
[posted to ba.garden, too--TR]

Damnation and Brimstone!

These pests are raiding my beef steak, Brandywine, and cherry toms!
They're also doing a number on my brand new basil and what's left of my
chives! Besides bring out the Big Bertha cannon (Ortho's
will-shoot-25-feet-with-dead-eye-precision power-spray oil), is there a
more natural, less catastrophic, method of sending these pest on their
way? (The oil is very affective but it kills anything it hits.)

The Ranger


I wouldn't be too hasty in running the wasps off, they're probably
killing caterpillars to feed their young larvae. Those types don't
generally mess with garden truck as they're meat eaters, ie larvae of
the stuff that is eating your truck.

George