Have any of you tried encouraging bats?
Bats come out to feed at dusk or right after dark and can eat a whopping 600 to 1,000 insects per hour and one bat can live 20 years. I believe that bats might also eat stink bugs and Jap beetles as they go home to roost at dusk or return in the am.
Yep, sure enough bats do eat stinkbugs (as well as mosquitos) up to 300 a night!
Hope the 10 or 12 that surveille my yard each evening stick around!
SHOPPING LISTS, Spring 2014 What are you getting?
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This message was edited Mar 31, 2014 11:48 AM
Well I made the mistake of stopping at my favorite nursery (sigh) and look what jumped into my car. Someone forbid me from ever walking into that place again! :-0
OK, I'll bite: Cat, I forbid you from EVER walking into that place again.
(now, let's see if it works). ;) Heeheeheeheee
Pretty little hitchhiker, by the way. You should take her home! < =D
Catmint, what did you get?? :D
I gotta say I'm so thankful for the group buys. It actually *saves* me money, because I tell myself I have a boatload of plants I need to plant soon, and it helps me avoid impulse buys.
I'm still on the lookout for a sambucus and a thalictrum.
I did end up picking up a Mt St Helens azalea from Lowe's. I can't wait for it to bloom!
SS--if you would ever list what you are looking for in plain English--
some of us may have an idea what to look for!
You too--muddy! And David---I for one, do not know ny horticultural names--
and feel very 'out on a limb" when you all start talking about plants....
I KNOW it is MY shortcoming....but that will never change.
G.
LOL Speedie--I'll do my best. SSG, I admire your forebearance! :-D
Okay, here it is at home now next to the birdfeeder and beehouse! I love it!!
Catmint, you still haven't said what it was! I'll take a guess... quince?
Gita, I don't know the common names!
I think thalictrum is called meadow rue, but there might be others also called meadow rue.
I think sambucus is just called sambucus. Tiger Eyes is the cultivar I'm looking for.
stunning, Catmint! I confess, I still don't know what it is, other than the obvious "beautiful flowering tree." LOL
i was outside this afternoon playing "what is in this pot that's lost its tag?" LOL All part of Spring Roll Call, I suppose!
I think Sambucus is elderberry, but nobody calls the "fancy" cultivars by that name. ? I had a pretty one with dark, finely cut leaves that failed to leaf out a couple of years back... ended up doing some other things in that area (hydrangeas) rather than replacing it as such, but there are sure soem pretty varieties out there.
Oh sorry LOL -- it is a Prunus persica Green Leaf Patio Dwarf Peach Tree! It produces real edible fruit and is just gorgeous and fragrant right now. It's only supposed to get about 5' tall--just perfect for my backyard!
SSG, I have Thalictrum Meadow rue seeds (I think I got them from Greenthumb at the seed swap). Would you like some??
That peach tree is beautiful!!!
thanks, Aspen! I totally love it. The pollinators do too--no sooner had I put it down in the yard than I had some bees and butterflies checking it out. I'm really glad because all weekend they've been buzzing and floating around a bit impatiently like, 'okay where's all the food in this diner??' :-)
That's a PEACH? Wow!
I took down my nectarine last fall because various fungal and insect issues have prevented me from getting a single edible fruit from it in 10 years... but the blooms themselves were always pretty! The pear and plum got taken out too, and the pluot and one of the cherries didn't leaf out last spring, so they are gone also. I've already put in 2 new apple trees ('Honeycrisp' yum) and a new sour cherry.
It'll be interesting to see how it goes with regard to actual fruit. It's supposed to be a more disease-resistant cultivar, but even without fruit I'm really taken with the blossoms.
Apple trees sound nice! :-)
I was chatting with a customer at work today--and she said: "You have abee on your shoulde!"
I brushed it off amd it flew under her friends loose cargo shorts...He was jumping all around--
and the bee just fell out and walked--yes! walked away!
It was more like a bumblebee--really big--and a bit groggy. Pretty, though.
Wonder what it was--and if it was just 'waking up".....
G.
Wow, what an experience!
There are species of large carpenter bees that can be quite clumsy and slow.
BEAUTIFUL peach tree Cat!! Next we'll need a pic of you standing next to it with a big fat juicy peach in your hand after it's fruited!! < =D I love its spot where you have it, looks very happy!
I had a little bee of some sort following me around while I was watering yesterday; poor little thing, I think he detected the seeds I'd sown and was like "Is it ready yet??"... I told him "Sorry little guy, you'll have to wait just a little bit longer". :) I hope I see him and ALL his friends when everything blooms! =)
LOL thanks, Speedie! The pollinators who've buzzed and fluttered through my garden this weekend definitely seem 'on the prowl' rather than happily settled. They do *not* seem happy with the buffet Mother Nature provides at this time of year!! I'm looking forward to having more blooms for them soon.
I was surprised to observe how many little polinaters were all over the maple tree blossoms. If they like deadnettle, they have a feast here...
Yeah I watched them for a while Saturday too Sally. There were a ton of them. I love to watch them work.
I'm surprised there aren't more of them in the daffs, bur they're all over the other blooms.. yes, even the deadnettle! LOL
Hmm my bees have been ignoring my dead nettle....
Glad not all of the dead nettle. dandylions and other early Spring bollming weeds haven't all been pre emergented or herbicided out of lawns and gardens!
Saw two different Spring Azure Butterflies yesterday looking for Dogwood Cornus florida) to lay their eggs on...no idea what they are nectaring on...Love love love that bright blue!
Send some of those spring azure butterflies over my way Coleup. My dogwood would love to have them.
Speaking of magnolia trees, the Arbor Day Foundation is offering bare-root magnolia trees for $13.95. Last year, I got my little crape myrtle for free through this group for Arbor Day. Anyway, just thought I'd pass the info on!
http://shop.arborday.org/product.aspx?zpid=861
might be in need of a new thread...
There is a new thread you goofy gals ;P
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1354980/