Bill; I don't believe these are "False" Spider Mites, due to the large webs... I know Spider Mites will only make tiny webs... usually in the crevices of growths. These are 6" in size...

Since I have some Orthene on hand.. gonna try this being a systemic (although a stinky one) due to it being safe on Orchids. Will avoid getting it on my Vanda Spikes.

Whatever you think is best.

This is getting to be insane!!
Something kept digging around in the cage, digging around in pots, making holes, uprooting stuff, even starting to nibble Orchid buds. I just assumed it was the Chipmunks, since they can easily fit through the grid.
Long story short, Klaus is right now relocating Mouse # 6!!!!
I never would have guessed. It seems we have a Mouse colony nearby! Well, they are out of luck, they can play a mile away in a local park.

Oh my!
Are you giving them cell phones?

But it is amazing, that Havahart trap must be the talk of the town! At first, we caught one, then always a few days later another one. They are now coming faster, the talk of a yummy meal surely does it.

Is anybody missing this little bunny?
Cute face, big ears, white cottony tail, whiskers, twitching nose. Anyone??


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Bill, they are totally out of control around here!! Lounging around in the backyard and looking accusingly at you when you need them to move so you can get into the cage.

I was wondering where my bunnies had gone! Seriously, I usually don't fertilize at all in summer since we are on fert restrictions here so I 'feed' my plants with alfalfa pellets. A nice slow-release nitrogen boost with soil amending qualities.

I had run out of pellets and finally the feed store got a new shipment. As soon as I started putting down the pellets again, the bunnies have re-appeared. I have cottontails like yours, Bill and also marsh rabbits that are darker brown, smaller and very cute.

If the bunnies are eating my alfalfa pellets, I guess the plants are probably benefiting anyway from their poop. Maybe I'll need to train them where to go . . .

Around here my now 5! bunnies /the backyard regulars prefer red Carrots!😄

The Hummingbird Moths are back!!
At our Pennsy place- we only see them in Bergamot blooms.
It was breezy at times and I tried to follow them with my IPhone camera. ( I managed one quick video, I will post it on Fb).
They are fun to watch!

Wow, what great patience you have Ursula. You got great pictures of those guys.

Thanks! They are truly a challenge for me to capture!

great photos.

I have a question.
A Mourning dove is walking around my backyard and feeders like a drunken sailor. It is eating seeds right now like crazy but it's' equilibrium seems way off! Way off.
It stumbled across my backyard where I have had a few mushrooms that have sprung up from where my Red Maple tree stood. Part of me wants to put it out of its misery. End it's suffering. But is it suffering?
Could it have ingested mushroom causing its problems? Temporary issue? Could it recover? Will it die? I am so in between on this issue.
Right now I am leaning on God, letting nature take its course so to speak.
Man this is tough to watch.

Just curious as to what every body thinks.

Bill, if it's eating, it may recover. Is the weather hot? Maybe put out water for it?

When I lived in New England, I had a friend who owned an apple orchard. Needless to say I always had a ton of apples. I had a basket of apples that had been around for awhile. My chocolate lab Zeus was taking apples from the kitchen and going to some secret hideaway in the house. I saw him staggering down the hall and was concerned. The teens that were over started laughing and saying hes eating hard apples and he's drunk!
As they laughed, I hurriedly moved the apples so he couldn't get anymore.
He recovered.
Maybe the dove ate something that got him intoxicated.
Some animals seem to like catching a buzz. Like dolphin getting high from pufferfish.

Every spring the Cedar Waxwings migrate through and get drunk on the holly berries that are fermented by then. It is pretty funny watching them stagger and often fall into the bird bath. They must sober up quickly as I have never seen a deceased on around.

I have seen drunk robins before.
I did see it leave the feeder area shortly after I posted this. It kind of half stumbled, half swam through the grass using its wings to propel itself some 30' around the end of my stockade privacy fence along the edge of my patio. I wondered if I would ever see it again.

Well it was back underneath the feeder again about an hour after I saw it go behind the stockade fence. It appeared to be acting exactly the same.
No berries around except pokeweed which in its condition I can't imagine could be reached. No crab apples. I just kind of tied it to the mushrooms. I wondered if any one had experience with birds and mushrooms.
I will check outside later.
Oh weather, mid 70's, low humidity. Weather changed for the better about 10 days ago.

I have robins, cat birds, brown thrashers eat the poke weed berries before. Could Mourning doves have a lower tolerance for alcohol??? Maybe this guy has several DWF's, drunk while feeding?

Better than drunk while flying!

Do you think it can fly? Probably not, but it might be worthwhile to walk out there and see if it can flutter up to a safe branch. If not it's fair game for the first predator that comes along.

Could the bird seed be fermented a bit?

Seed is fresh, no issue there.
No, there is no way that this bird could flutter much less fly.
Trying to feed, it leans to one side or the other, and then rights itself. It's balance is off just like a drunk.

I thought about putting it somewhere safe but I don't think that it would stay put. The ground is its only option. I heard two raccoons I think have a fight last evening after sundown. So I have a suspicion that something will get it tonight.
But I will admit, it acts just like those drunk robins did when I saw them 45 years ago. I just wish I knew if mushrooms might cause a similar reaction.


I just hate feeling so darn helpless. If it was a Starling I would beat it to death!! No not really. But a stupid little dove???
Oh well, I just need to think about all the birds I help with over a half ton of birdseed every year or the 100 suet cakes that I provide.