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Last year, I had the opportunity to watch several instances of "natural insect control" in action. While harvesting Cauliflower, a large "yellow jacket" wasp landed on my hand. Previous experience taught me NOT to smack it or chase it away. As I held still, the yellow jacket flew to the cauliflower head that was in my other hand. It landed on a cabbage worm that was in the head, an started biting the worm. This biting went on for nearly 30 seconds until the cabbage worm finally had to let go of the cauliflower. The yellow jacket then carried the worm back to the Fennel plant where it had been visiting the flowers. A few more bites, then it flew off with the worm. I felt totally blessed to be allowed to see that. Sooner or later, I've GOT to get a digital camera that can zoom in on things like that. I'm sure that others out there have seen similar amazing things. Please share them. Rick
Plants: 107 | From: Northern lower Michigan | Registered: Jan 2003
| Seeded: 198.108.224.179
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Rick,I saw something similar to what u saw... Normally we have many yellow jackets buzzing around in late summer. I get aggravated because i have got stung so many times from mistakenly walking over their hives while working in the yard or out in the woods. I got to noticing one day (i must have been really bored) they were buzzing all over my yard (i have centepede grass and sometimes the spit bugs become very numerous). I would watch these yellow jackets catch spit bugs and carry them off! Sometimes they would swoop down and miss, but i was amazed that yellow jackets feed on spit bugs! marketman25@aol.com
* * * * Bob Plants: 640 | From: in my garden | Registered: Jan 2003
| Seeded: 205.188.208.134
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Floweraddict I had my run-ins with yellow jackets when I worked on the seismic crews (oil search) years ago. Same thing, concealed nests. I have NEVER been stung by them, or anything else, in the garden. Along part of the center path, we have a trellis of Codonopsis pilosula, aka Dang-shen. It's a chinese medicinal herb referred to as "poor man's ginseng". A climbing perennial vine with greenish white, bell shaped flowers, fairly good looking, but not spectacular. The yellow jackets absolutely love the flowers. They are in them constantly. They never bothered us, even when we bumped the trellis! It would seem that, unless you disturb the nest or actually harm one of them, they are not at all agressive. After seeing their feeding habits, I'll do all I can to welcome them, especially planting things they like. I'd like to find a good book on identifying wasps, with color pictures. Seen so many different kinds in the last few years that I can't identify. They are the best "insecticide" I've got! Rick
Plants: 107 | From: Northern lower Michigan | Registered: Jan 2003
| Seeded: 198.108.224.186
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taught me NOT to smack it or chase it away. As I held still, the yellow jacket flew to the cauliflower head that was in my other hand. It landed on a cabbage worm that was in the head, an started biting the worm. This biting went on for nearly 30 seconds until the cabbage worm finally had to let go of the cauliflower. The yellow jacket then carried the worm back to the Fennel plant where it had been visiting the flowers. A few more bites, then it flew off with the worm. I felt totally blessed to be allowed to see that. Sooner or later, I've GOT to get a digital camera that can zoom in on things like that. I'm sure that others out there have seen similar amazing things. Please share them.
Printer-friendly view of this garden