Insects and Animals
Carpenter Bee Control – Bert’s Method
Carpenter bees are a most annoying spring nuisance. They hover around decks and gutters and bore holes in exposed wood surfaces. My typical advice has been to swat them with a tennis racquet to lower their numbers. I didn’t care...
Termites – Spread Through Louisiana Mulch
The panicky emails about the potential spread of Formosan termites have been making the rounds since Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. Although the premise seems important, my conclusion is that this is not true. In the first place, “the state” is...
Hummingbirds – Not Appearing
This August, 2009 article by naturalist Charles Seabrook in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes reasons hummingbirds don’t appear when we expect them.——————————————————————————————————————–Late summer is when hummingbird feeder traffic really picks up. Georgia’s native ruby-throated hummingbirds have finished raising their babies and...
Fipronil – Effect on Native Ants
In solving garden problems, I am often reminded that applying pesticides can affect non-target creatures as well as the pest you’re trying to control. I was curious to know more about the effect of fipronil (Over ‘n’ Out) fire ant...
Mosquito Traps – Univ. of Florida Report on CO2 type
UF/IFAS News Release May 19, 2005 Carbon Dioxide Mosquito Traps No Magic Bullet, Say University of Florida Experts By: Tom Nordlie VERO BEACH, Fla. — With spring rains promising a bumper crop of mosquitoes, some Floridians may consider buying expensive...
Mole – Control
Moles live underground and seldom venture out of their burrows. They are most active in the early morning and late evening hours. The ridges of earth pushed up by burrowing plainly indicate their presence in a lawn. The number of...
Fire Ants – Best Control in Fall
Want to put a hurtin’ on fire ants? Hit them hard in the fall! This article explains how. By April SorrowUniversity of Georgia Fire ants can ruin picnics and football games year-round. Treating fire ant colonies in the fall can...
Raising Chickens – Resources
I taught a class on chicken incubation several years ago. To prepare for it, I incubated and hatched several sets of chicks. In the process, I learned a lot about the hobby of raising backyard chickens. I am not a...
Fire Ants – No Control With Club Soda
My friend Eddie Rhoades is a unique individual…and his brother Robert surely fell from the same tree. Robert once asked me if I thought club soda poured into a fire ant mound would kill them. I casually replied that it...
Insects are Lovers Too
ROMANCE NOT JUST FOR HUMANSBy April Reese SorrowUniversity of Georgia Around Valentine’s Day people plan grand expressions of love for their sweethearts. Unlike humans, insects don’t have a day dedicated to love, but they do find time to romance in...
Hummingbirds – Nectar Recipe
Few creatures are more fun to watch than hummingbirds at a feeder. Although their numbers may vary markedly throughout the year, local bird experts recommend keeping your feeder up even in winter. A red feeder plus a red ribbon fluttering...
Whitefly – Trap
Most pests are simple to kill. Mosquito siphoning your corpuscles? A quick slap dispatches it. Whiteflies on your tomato plant? Kill a dozen just by clapping your hands. Japanese beetles munching on your crapemyrtles? A quick spray sends hundreds to...
Squash Vine Borer
It’s not the “heartbreak of psoriasis” but it’s close…..the heartbreak of squash vine borers. You may have a huge zucchini or squash plant. Maybe in June you have already harvested a few crooknecks from the vine. All of a sudden...
Lady Beetle (Ladybug) – Control
A visitor at the Southeastern Flower Show took me to task for being so casual about ladybug invasions. “You have no idea what it’s like to have thousands in your house!” she said. “I crunch them under my feet wherever...
Whale – Not Good to Eat
I build my reputation on research-based advice received from recognized experts. Sometimes, though, those experts are moved to comment on matters that don’t quite fit into anyone’s purview. Dr. Paul Guillebeau edits and distributes a monthly pesticide newsletter. It is...
Mosquito Control – Walter’s Thoughts
Summer rains can cause a population explosion of mosquitoes! Two kinds of mosquitoes are commonly seen (and felt!): the “swamp” or “Egyptian” mosquito, which feeds at dusk and the Asian tiger mosquito, which feeds during the day. The tiger mosquito...
Mosquito Control – Advice from the Experts
When it comes to mosquito control, over-the-fence advice is not good enough. Even though Uncle Mardy chewed garlic every day and never was bitten by mosquitoes, that doesn’t mean YOU would have the same results. (And don’t forget, Uncle Mardy...
Crayfish (Crawfish) – Control
There are about 100 species of crayfish in North America. Most are strictly aquatic but a few live in non-permanent water or semi-aquatic situations. They burrow into the soil to get to water when free water is not available on...
