I am pretty new to gardening. My grandfather was the man with all the knowledge but he is tending garden in heaven now. Please correct me if I get any facts wrong. I live in the high desert of California. I have planted peppers, tomatoes, some squash, some pumpkins, and some cantaloupe. Last year I only had a few peppers and tomatoes. It was pretty successful, especially the habeneros. Except for the horn worms, and some actual tomato worms. I must have hand picked 5 worms a day for 3 months. the tomato worms showed up late in the season and soapy water got rid of most of them them right before the season ended, but it also seemed to damage the plant, as well as one butter squash plant. I have learned that the horn worms come from Luna moths, and I believe the tomato worms are from a beetle. Today while watering, I noticed dozens of what I think are either monarch butterflies, or painted lady butterflies, and a few white butterflies with 2 black dots at the wing tips. Are these pests that i should be worried about? What is my course of action?

I want to protect my veggies and fruit trees from squirrels and raccoons. Want to run an electrified wire around the beds and around the trunks of the trees. Problem - I can run the wire up the tree and connect to the next tree high enough that I can walk beneath. Birds are tiny. I deal with them with bags and barriers - don't want them to be electrocuted. How can I shield the wire between the trees?