|
Post by claude on Sept 14, 2021 5:52:57 GMT -5
Yes, the praying mantis case looks like a mini bees nest..harder.. And various golf ball sized ..And if you’ve ever seen one hatch? It’s like a little mt monsuvious eruption of tiny tiny mantis who begin eating each other..
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Oct 9, 2021 15:08:29 GMT -5
The mosquitos are fierce this time of year with the end of the year coming, they know the end is near. They also know that I'm out of my lemongrass and clove spray, and I'm welty and itchy, dag-nabbit. Ah but fortunately, I'm starting a fresh new batch of the stuff for next year.
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Nov 9, 2021 20:13:33 GMT -5
Newly-introduced east-Asian Joro spiders are a topic around here, as they've been appearing in the area. We haven't seen them yet, and according to the local ag folks, they don't seem to be much different from our native orb spiders --- harmless, except for voluminous webs. I hear they really like to eat shieldbugs/stinkbugs, so that's good. As long as they don't mess with anything else. We'll see. World in changes.
|
|
|
Post by gardendmpls on Nov 10, 2021 9:14:49 GMT -5
World's always in changes. Living things have always wandered to new ecosystems. Either made it and fit in and eventually everyone got in balance or they didn't. You can look to Pacific Islands which were once volcanic rock. Colonized by different creatures that blew, flew or floated in. They have differences because some plants and creatures made it to one island and not another. Some things went extinct and others thrived. There were small, wooly mammoths on St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea and Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean. Other mammoths became extinct 10,000 years ago, but they have found remains of a male from 4300 years ago. Testing of its DNA showed genetic mutations amplified by inbreeding probably led to extinction. [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-science-mammoths-idUSKBN20200I (This article clearly states problems were genetic, but then tries to relate it to the standard warning about climate change). More recently, I remember the cattle egret becoming common in Texas. They flew in from Africa/Asia locations (Guyana and Surinam) and were sighted in Florida in 1941. By 1962 they had reached the west coast of the US. Things are always changing.
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Nov 10, 2021 11:45:58 GMT -5
The only Constant is Change.
However, so many of the changes we are facing today are man made based on irresponsibility and bad decisions.
|
|
|
Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Nov 10, 2021 20:10:16 GMT -5
desertwoman , I think changes are also unfortunately based on politics, perhaps as inappropriate a basis as the two factors you mentioned. And, on an almost surprising issue, we have more data available now than we probably have for centuries, although I think there's a lot of merit in learning to predict the weather, such as upturned leaves indicative of rain or a storm. Today, someone who doesn't want to do that can just use an Alexa device as opposed to studying natural conditions. When I think of how many people I read of who are allowing Alexa or a similar device to gather data for them, I wonder how they'll fare during the next big recession, or depression, or even intense inclement weather conditions that bring power failures. There's so much merit in knowing how to be self sufficient.
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Nov 10, 2021 20:28:13 GMT -5
I think changes are also unfortunately based on politics precisely!
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Nov 12, 2021 21:11:42 GMT -5
This little bumblebugger gave its all for its progeny and pollination. Departed in the chive blooms. Well done, friend!
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Feb 18, 2022 17:43:46 GMT -5
Hollyhock seeds sprouting away, and brought back bitter memories of the Great Japanese Beetle Plague of the early 90's. Neighbor tried milky spore, I tried traps (stoopid)...no help. They devoured the hollyhocks, cannas, and hit my plum trees so hard that they never came back. They seem to move en mass in 10-year cycles here, from place to place. They are yearly regulars on the grapevines. All this to say that short of using funky stuff like carbamol, the best option is the good old-fashioned hand pluck and smash. Messy and takes time, but you can also step or roll over the ones that drop to the ground for added satisfaction.
|
|
|
Post by gardendmpls on Feb 20, 2022 0:04:07 GMT -5
short of using funky stuff like carbamol, the best option is the good old-fashioned hand pluck and smash. Or you could sic the chickens on them.
|
|
|
Post by gardendmpls on Mar 28, 2022 9:33:21 GMT -5
Has anyone heard of the big bug hunt site. It is a citizen scientist site that uses computers to analyze insect sighting data from all over the world and look for trends in outbreaks such as locations, weather conditions, plant types and so forth. They are looking to be able to give early warnings and organic solutions that could be applied before an impending outbreak. The video on the page gives a good overview of the project: bigbughunt.com/about.htm
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Jun 27, 2022 16:14:41 GMT -5
Discovered woolly adelgids on my prized Carolina and Canadian hemlocks today. I knew it was coming as they've been closing in on us. I'm so mad I could chew nails, dag-nabbit.
|
|
|
Post by datgirl on Jul 3, 2022 13:58:09 GMT -5
I've caught 4 SVB moths so far. 3 of them were under the row cover over the cabbage. They must of hatched under there. There were no squash in that bed last year though. One I smashed on top of the row cover.
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Jul 16, 2022 17:21:14 GMT -5
Another cicada, this is one of the short-cycle type that show up every year. Smaller than the big, screeching long-cycle red-eyed kind that come around less often.
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Jul 31, 2022 12:59:32 GMT -5
DS just got swarmed by bald-faced hornets that had nested in a small pampas grass clump. Zapped him about six times. He's now applying baking soda poultice and benadryl. Yikes!
|
|