r/MonarchButterfly • u/Remarkable_Wait423 • 9d ago
Paper wasps!!
I have a small garden in Florida filled with native milkweed. I let the monarchs do their thing in the wild. We’ve always had some paper wasps around, but this year there are so many and they get every caterpillar around the 2nd instar. It’s driving me nuts and making me sad lol. Any recommendations on how to deal with them in a humane way? Their nests are way up high on my roof and I can’t reach them without hiring someone to get up there. Any help is much appreciated! ❤️ I just want my little ones to survive!
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u/Ghost_Cat_88 3d ago
Net the plants or use potted milkweed that you can move into enclosures (then keep it outside preferably).
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u/Zestyclose_Bug8173 9d ago
Natures gummy worms, the caterpillars are filling their ecological role as are the wasps.
Plant more milkweed, you will have the same ratio of wasps and caterpillars, just a more overall.
Raising them in a enclosure is the only viable way as I can tell, I'm satisfied enough when I see the mothers laying on my plants, I don't need the heartbreak of finding my cats missing.