The tachinid fly is one of many beneficial insect predators in your garden. But they are also harmful to monarchs. But if you are raising monarch caterpillars, the tachinid fly is an enemy. Tachinid flies lay their eggs on monarch eggs and caterpillars. Once the egg is laid, that monarch is as good as dead. …

If you’ve been learning about raising monarchs, you’ve probably heard of the monarch parasite: OE spores. In this article, you’ll learn what OE parasites are, how they affect monarchs, and how they are transmitted. What Are OE Parasites? Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) is a protozoan parasite that affects monarch and queen butterflies. OE protozoan is a single-celled …

Ladybug larva has often been confused as a harmful pest, especially when spotted on a milkweed plant. Sometimes the furry ladybug caterpillar gets squished, thinking that it is dangerous to garden plants. Monarch eggs are distinctive from ladybug eggs. Monarch eggs are white in color and laid one at a time. Ladybug eggs, in contrast, …

To raise monarch caterpillars at home, you’ll need a few supplies. There are some great commercial options for rearing monarch larvae. In this guide, you’ll learn the monarch butterfly supplies needed to raise from instar to adult butterfly. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money to successfully do this. Many of the …

How long does the metamorphosis from monarch egg to adult butterfly take? In this guide, you’ll learn about the four stages and the five instars of the monarch life cycle. The images and descriptions will help determining the instar of each monarch caterpillar you discover. The five stages (instars) of a Monarch butterfly take roughly …

Since 2008, My Monarch Guide has been a great resource for learning about monarch butterflies. And now My Monarch Guide website is part of The Buginator – a site dedicated to repelling biting bugs and attracting good bugs and insects. On August 7, 2022 MyMonarchGuide.com was acquired by Storyteller Media, the parent company of The …

Ladybugs are beetle members of the Coccinellidae family. There are thousands of species, and it’s easy to confuse the native ladybug with other beetle species. Like the Asian lady beetles and the Japanese beetle. Here’s how to tell them apart: Ladybug vs Asian lady beetle vs Japanese beetle. Asian lady beetles are a type of ladybug …

Even hornets aren’t immune to predation. Many animals and insects feed on hornets from all life stages (from larvae to adults). Here is what eats hornets. Hornets are popular food for many animals. Hornet predators include birds (scarlet tanagers, purple martins, caracara), flies (satellite flies, cannibalfly), and even other wasps (velvet ants, giant hornets). Mammals …

Wasps are incredible architects that rid our yard of harmful pests and help pollinate our plants. But it is concerning to find a wasp nest. Here are 6 types of wasp nests and which species make them. Photos to help with wasp nest identification. And answers to common questions. Wasps make nests from wood fiber …

So you have some ants in your kitchen? Most ants aren’t harmful, but they are annoying. Using essential oil to repel ants is a natural and expensive method. Here’s what essential oils repel ants. The best essential oils for ants include cinnamon, lemongrass, clove, peppermint, thyme, patchouli, and cedarwood. Some of these repel ants, others …