Photo courtesy of kd_arvin at Flickr.com.
What’s a voracious carnivore when it’s little, and a peaceful nectar-drinker later in life? Your average parasitic wasp, that’s who.
Most are absolutely no danger to humans — in fact, they look more like flies than wasps — but they lay their eggs in prey species and the larvae eventually eat their way out, killing their hosts. This may seem gruesome, but it’s a very effective, all-natural method of insect control.
To attract parasitic wasps, plant a border of small-flowered herbs around your flowerbeds; the wasps are usually so small that they can literally drown in a large flower. Dill, fennel, parsley, cilantro, and sweet alyssum are especially good at attracting parasitic wasps.
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