Wordless Wednesday: I {heart} Yellow Jackets
Yes. I love yellow jackets. Even after getting stung by one last weekend. And why do I love them? Because they hunt and devour cabbage worms. This fellow spent a couple of hours hovering over my Brussels sprouts as if they constituted his very own all-you-can-eat buffet. And, considering how many cabbage worms I saw nibbling the foliage, I guess they were.
We watched this particular yellow jacket devour not only tiny worms, but rip into a fairly big worm and carry parts of it away with him. I guess we were invading his space and he wanted to eat in peace. Fine with me.
This is another reason we should try not to freak out when we see creatures we would normally consider to be "pests" in the garden. While I hate it when they disrupt our back yard barbecues or sting me for innocently weeding my front garden, I'll take all the help I can get with my cabbage worms!
I like them too but only from afar. Yellow Jackets have some mean looking faces and they creep me out.
Chicago Garden–
They are mean looking, aren’t they? I’m with you on admiring them from afar–it doesn’t take much for one to come after you if you get in their way!
Thanks for stopping by!
I’m so glad to hear that the stupid hornets actually help someone. Maybe I should start growing cabbages so I can learn to appreciate them.
We have to be sure we know about the benefits of all the bugs in our gardens. Very informative post. I have stepped on a yellow jacket nest in the ground – and not enjoyed it. Otherwise, hooray for yellow jackets.