I have seen earwigs kill large caterpillars and Js.
(I now remove them in a jar to the local botanic gardens a few kms away).
I also saw large snails and slugs eat the wings of newly eclosed Monarchs drying their damp wings. (Snails and slugs now get moved to my neighbours property – whose young teen keeps a snail farm).
I repaired both of their wings with paper face tape and thankfully they both flew away.
But everything goes after the Monarchs – especially wasps, spiders, mantis, wetas, earwigs, etc!!
I see millipedes in the gardens too but I don’t know if they harm eggs or caterpillars or Butterflies. I move them to my compost.
I did see an Assassin Bug (not to be confused with an Assassin Beetle). It was captivating and looked fascinating. However I found out they ‘pack’ both attacking and defending venoms. So I remove them now.
The Monarchs are defenceless. No claws, no teeth, no sting, no venom……..
How long will we have them in a world that over uses sprays, with habitat loss etc etc
Fiona
I am deeply suspicious of earwigs and remove them if i spot them. A few years ago I found several half eaten caterpillars and hanging ‘J’s over several days. The one suspect in the hothouse was an earwig.
Report a pest
.
