Winged Monkeys

ladybird beetle

There is a war going on in your garden. You may not see or hear it, but be assured – it is as raw and bloody as any war.

It’s not a secret that an army of insects finds your garden as delicious as you do. Their numbers are astounding and their appetite is voracious. I did not attempt to grow string beans this year because of the time I spent last year trying to deal with the Japanese beetles that stripped the plants of their leaves. Despite my best efforts at hand removing them, the beetles won the battle.

But the larger war is not between man and bugs. It is among the bugs themselves. Ladybird beetles eat a small army of aphids that otherwise would suck your tomato plants dry. The ladybug’s cute appearance gives no hint of the coolness of their assassin-like behavior.  The dragonfly’s name let’s you know that it is not a passive-aggressive creature.

Today, however, I saw a most startling thing. I’ve seen it before – but only today was I able to photograph it. Two wasps attacked and consumed a green worm on one of my broccoli plants. It happened very quickly and, to my surprise, was repeated again and again. The wasps flew like winged monkeys from plant to plant finding – and eating – more green worms.

Am I the only one seeing these things? I’ll bet not. I’d love to hear your examples of the benefits of a variety of insects in the garden.

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wasps gang up on worm

green worm on broccoli

wasp finishes a meal