plant communities

Predation on pollinators in urban gardens

Urban flower gardens are growing in popularity, and have the potential to contribute significantly to pollinator habitat.  However, it is unknown whether these gardens provide a safe haven for declining populations or create low quality habitat that contributes little to conservation. Monarch butterflies are abundant in urban gardens in the San Francisco Bay Area. One concern is that monarch caterpillars in cities experience increased risk of predation by human-associated animals such as paper wasps and yellow jackets.