Thread: Help with wasp/ants on Catawba tree.

explain the worm thing...?

The catalpa sphynx moth, attracts predatory wasps, which lay their eggs on the catalpa worms, (caterpillars). The eggs hatch and the wasp larvae consume the catalpa worm from the inside. There's little you can do to get rid of the wasps, as they just fly in.
Usually this is a good thing, (wasps attacking caterpillars) like on your tomatoes.
The ants are more than likely "farming" aphids. You can get a product called Tanglefoot, that you put around the tree trunk, and they won't cross it. I doubt the ants are killing your catalpa worms, but it's possible.

Originally Posted by ShellQuacker

The catalpa sphynx moth, attracts predatory wasps, which lay their eggs on the catalpa worms, (caterpillars). The eggs hatch and the wasp larvae consume the catalpa worm from the inside. There's little you can do to get rid of the wasps, as they just fly in.
Usually this is a good thing, (wasps attacking caterpillars) like on your tomatoes.
The ants are more than likely "farming" aphids. You can get a product called Tanglefoot, that you put around the tree trunk, and they won't cross it. I doubt the ants are killing your catalpa worms, but it's possible.

Thats it. I am leaving this site forever. Farming aphids????
What the heck? ****** Quack, this is the end of the line for me.
Ya know they say if you sleep inside a horsehair rope in the SW deserts pit vipers (rattlers) will not cross it to cuddle up with yur body heat at night while sleeping. I have found that this is true so long as you lay yur horsehair rope out in a perfect circle, then lock yur doors & roll up the windows while bedding in the cab of yur vessel.
Man, you walked into it Tanglefoot. I been appropriating names here lately. My new bud Devin has been renamed Horsefly. I have been calling the ol lady Squanto lately for no good reason other than it provokes curiosity outta her.
Horsefly dropped by and had the good sense to not hang around long enuf for me to finangle him into standing atop the coop framework with a 12' length of sheet roofing in a mild to gusty breeze. He wants me to name the first chikkin Bob. I dont know man, I dint ax. Seemed a fair request and I aim to do so. Bob seems a strange name for a hen but lookit Bucktooth and Beth. I have always considered Bob a good name for a quadraplegic that falls overboard but thats just my take. I got 1 more piece of roof to but on my Chikkin Hyatt Regency Suites. I am thinking insurance may be in line in case of these **** Sutherners torching the coop makin fried chikkin.

If you would take time to notice, I put "farming" in quotations marks.
In this case, the "farming", involves the ants protecting and grooming the aphids, and in return they get honeydew from them.
Wait.......that sounds just like.......farming!
Oh yeah, those eggs are gonna be worth $20 each!

Thanks I'll look into Tanglefoot.

The following recipe works with most aphids. Also if you rub soap in the places that wasps nest it stops them from nesting there. So..........
Take a hand size spray bottle and fill it with water. Put in a couple of drops of dish detergent. Spray the plants. Best when morning dew is still on the plants. Works on garden plants and flowers. Of course you want to increase the sprayer/recipe to spray a tree. May have to spray a couple of times. I'm going to spray my cuke plants with it today.Try it, doesn't cost nothing
When do the worms start showing up, I forgot when.

Hey goat do your trees do ok growing here ? I used them Catalpa Worms for years & years back home for bait.....have not seen a single tree in Virginia ~ I even bought some from a farm in Indiana and planted here.....the trees all died.

Here U go wasabi man ::

The Catalpa Sphinx

Originally Posted by RACN35

Hey goat do your trees do ok growing here ? I used them Catalpa Worms for years & years back home for bait.....have not seen a single tree in Virginia ~ I even bought some from a farm in Indiana and planted here.....the trees all died.

Here U go wasabi man ::

The Catalpa Sphinx

I have been looking for them as well had a bunch in louisa county and maryland has a good population of them I am sure they around just aint eyed them yet