Nature's Pest Control at Work

I love to attract beneficial insects and birds to our gardens to control pest insects. There are Bluebird houses at one side of the gardens, and Tree Swallow houses at the other side. The Bluebirds prefer small worms or soft bugs for their diet, such as potato beetles, cabbage loopers, bean beetles, etc.; while the Tree Swallows prefer flying insects such as moths, large flies, etc..

Last evening I got to watch a fascinating display of nature at work with the Tree Swallows. I noticed a pair of Tree Swallows sitting on the tomato cages just watching over the gardens. Every so often one would fly down of the garden, and then back up onto the tomato cage. Then I noticed that they were flying down and catching the White Cabbage Moths that were flying around the kale plants. This activity continued for over a half hour, until the birds didn't see any more moths for their diet.

That was definitely Nature's Pest Control at Work!  In the past I have seen the Bluebirds going into the bush beans to pick off bean beetles, but I have never seen the Tree Swallows over the gardens before.