But in natural forests, every creature has its natural enemies, and the insect fungus Beauveria bassiana and parasitic flies are ready and waiting for M. basalis pryeri. Furthermore, in the wild the inchworms prefer trees over two meters tall, and by the time trees have reached this size they are strong enough for a few caterpillars not to pose them any threat.
但在天然林裡，螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後，有白僵菌、寄生蠅虎視眈眈地候著黃帶枝尺蛾，幼蟲又只愛寄居在至少兩公尺高的樹上，此時樹已夠健壯，幾隻「小毛蟲」根本不構成威脅。