Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Quick & Easy Cat Cage, 0 by debnes_dfw_tx

debnes_dfw_tx wrote:
In preparation for various species of butterflies this year, I have been pouring over what kinds of cages to use. There have been threads with lots of excellent ideas and examples. Particularly the thread Cat started. This method I have been using might have been in there, and if so it deserves a reinteration.

My particular need required that the cage have the smallest of holes in the screen material.. even the tulle had large enough holes for a tiny parasite wasps to wriggle through and lay it's eggs under the skin of small caterpillars. What you get in about 12 days are hundreds more of these little guys. They have been dubbed as "Benificial Insects" so be extra careful what is released into your garden. They have the potential of wiping out butterflies at quantum speed to the hundredth power. Just holding one of my well fed cats inside it's chrysalis and seeing these flies swarm out one by one gave me the heebie jeebies big-time.. eeeww! Been studying them literally and experientially for over a month now, and the cages are working so well, I thought I should share. This method can make even the wariest most reluctant butterfly gardener a success.

First I will picture the hole this tiny wasp makes in the chrysalis> I have another fabric with even finer holes than in this picture that works the best and still see-through. It's more like a jersey knit. If anyone wants a swatch of it, just send me an SASE. I'm in the address exchange.


This message was edited Mar 8, 2010 10:26 AM