Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: the cats are safe!, 1 by TexasPuddyPrint

TexasPuddyPrint wrote:
Other predators can include a variety of ants, spiders, wasps, parasitic flies, dragonflies, praying mantis, birds, rats, toads, lizards, snakes and the list goes on. Yet, some ants tend to the caterpillars of various hairstreak butterflies as the larva has a sugary secretion the ants like. Those ants do not harm the caterpillar and provide a bit of protection from other predators.

Konkrete...

I use small shallow containers and jar lids to hold wet floral foam. I let it soak up water then I stick the branch cuttings or leave stems into it. The cats can crawl all over it and I never have to worry about them drowing or getting hurt. I remove the old cuttings and use an old brush to knock off the cat poo. I add water and new cuttings/leaves as needed.

Here's one I made using the icing cup that comes in the refrigerated cinnamon biscuit tubes. It's hold a small branch of new growth from my tangerine tree. I prefer using wider dishes like the kind 8 ounces of sour creamor pimento cheese comes in...I'm a packrat and had to find use for those icing cups. I also use jar lids to hold leaves for the little instars. Just in case the little bugger falls off a leave it won't have far to climb.

~ Cat



This message was edited Jun 4, 2006 11:36 AM