The Assassination of a Wasp... and Some Cool Caterpillars

Last summer, Regan and I took the tots to Historic Oak View County Park and were given small sweet fennel sprouts, which immediately wilted but I stuck in my herb garden anyway. This summer it grew upwards of eight ft tall until I hacked back the main stem because multitudes of wasps were attracted to it. Two more stems grew out of the base, and while it still attracts some wasps, the main attraction is the caterpillars of Monarch Butterflies. Of course now I am regretting cutting it back so much, because these hungry little guys (there are probably just over ten of them) are running out of green to munch on.

Remember that bug I asked for help identifying? Look what he grew into! This Assassin bug is munching on a wasp. Smartly, the assassin was lurking by the sweet fennel. It's not a good day to be a wasp, but it's an excellent day to be one of the other small insects who is munching on the spoils as well.

...I used "munch" or "munching" three times in this post. I think I have the munchies ;)