[Leps-l] New Regional Monarch Nectar Plant Guides Now Available

[Dale McClung]

Bill,

Unfortunately not agricultural development but urban development 
provides ideal paper habitat especially for paper wasps. The sheltered 
eaves of houses, sheds, etc, are ideal nesting locations. In the wild 
and in landscapes they utilize broad leafed plants. To check a planting 
just take a stick, ruffle the foliage and see if any wasps fly out. Most 
butterfly gardeners have good success the first few seasons until the 
predator population in response to the availability of prey establishes 
itself.

The only control I know of with paper wasps is to locate their nests, 
wait until after dark when they are all on the nest, and hit it with 
wasp spray then. Wasp spray is the only insecticidal product I ever use 
on my property with the exception if necessary of granular products for 
fire ants, but fortunately they have not returned in years now.

Dale McClung

On 12/7/16 7:47 PM, Bill Cornelius wrote:
> My brother in NZ raises monarchs just to release at his house, he says it's been harder the last few years because wasps have become too numerous. This includes hornets and yellow jackets which he can trap, but paper wasps ignore the traps. I'm wondering if there's something about global warming or agricultural development (such as wasp habitat or commercial tachinid flies) that's favorable to monarch predators.
>
> Bill
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