3D printed bug-repellent protects your plants

Vikcreated a 3D-printed bug-repellent and uploaded the 3D file to Thingiverse:

Cabbage white butterflies are antisocial when they're laying their eggs. So if you stick up decoy butterflies, you can scare them off your crops. It's slightly oversize so it looks more intimidating to butterflies. Feel free to evolve the design.
Ignore butterflies attempting to mate with your decoy. They are stupid males and will not be laying eggs.

Printed Pesticide

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Alvis

I feel like most people could pull this project off without needing a 3D printer.
Anonymous

why would you want to scare butterflies? you should be feeding them instead?
RadioSilence

cool butâ€¦ easier to cut one out of a plastic milk bottle?
- Anonymous
  
  But then you don’t get on boingboing- unless you use a laser cutter.
  - RadioSilence
    
    you’re right, lasers do increase one’s chances of boingification.
Anonymous

In other news, I use a 3-D printer to make a tab for marking my place in books, a device to place under my drinks to prevent condensation rings on the table, and a rectangular flat surface on which to write words.
- imag
  
  Next on BB:
  
  3D printer folding dolls!
  
  3D printer papercraft!
  
  How to record the written word with 3D printed mock-stone tablets…
millrick

ignoring stupid males; always a wise reproductive strategy
monopole

It’s a bug repellent and a butterfly RealDoll!
Lobster

Now if only you could do something about the giant white butterflies stuck to all your plants!
Anonymous

That plant doesn’t really look like a crucifer. Shouldn’t the decoy be on a plant that the white cabbage butterfly eats, like broccoli?
Anonymous

in reply to simiotix
Cle-vah …
semiotix

Don’t you judge me for my child-free lifestyle. I was perfectly well aware that I was using a sex-assist device. Would you prefer that I hire prostitute butterflies, or lead on some trusting she-butterfly when all I wanted was sex?

You know, everyone on the internet is soooo hip and kinky and sex-positive, right up until they’re not. Well, excuse me if you can’t quite walk the walk when it comes to embracing alternative sexualities.

–a male Pieris rapae
Anonymous

I’m wondering if one can also discourage wasps from building nests by putting up fake little thingies that look like other wasps have already started to build a nest.

(I’m sure there’s a suburbia joke in there somewhere, just too lazy to pursue it)
- sally599
  
  Yes, but you don’t need a 3-D printer, they’re basically like Chinese lanterns. Here is a link..
  
  http://www.gardeners.com/Natural-Wasp-Deterrent/36-561,default,pd.html?SC=XNET8035&mr:trackingCode=2CD96D71-EB0B-DF11-9DA0-002219319097&mr:referralID=NA
magicbean

I’m not convinced that cabbage worm butterflies identify their competition visually, and what butterflies see is quite different from what humans see since they have multifaceted eyes sensitive to different light waves. They usually find mates by pheremone, so it stands to reason that they’d sense competition the same way – by smell. It’s a sweet idea, though.
Brainspore

It never occurred to me that butterflies were even capable of antisocial behavior. Now I just have an urge to look up “butterfly fight” on YouTube.
Anonymous

We put up fake wasp nests under out deck and in our shed every year to keep yellow jackets away: it works quite well. Like the butterfly decoys, bigger nests appear to work better.