We had a problem with (maybe) the tawny crazy ant breaking into the house a couple of weeks ago. Pest control came by on Friday and sprayed the yard and the house and said to wait a couple of weeks and contact them to come out for a reapplication.

Well, that's fine and dandy. They did chase off the fire ants, but also chased off my dragonflies.

But, we also have a "house"mouse (he lives in the garage) and a pair of rats live under the porch next to the pool - they got lots to eat from the dogs' bones and the messy messy birds (those Phoebes are slobs! Not the Cardinals so much) since they spread seed around and knock a bunch of mealworms onto the porch too. Actually saw the pair of rats eating the seeds out of my jasmine pot yesterday (which is nice since that means I won't be pulling millet plants) and then a squirrel was on the porch pacing around the pool. Dogs couldn't resist and kept him up the tree for about twenty minutes.

Somehow I manage to get by without pesticides...unless you count occasional insecticidal soap or the cat's flea drops. I do worry about mosquitos, with West Nile turning up in the hot season. BTW, a deer showed up to eat birdseed at the wildlife feeding area today! First time I've actually seen a deer on my place since last summer. The years of drought have really had an impact out here! So I took a walk around the property. Sure enough, the yucca bloom stalks have been pruned! It must be Deer Yucca Feast season.

I guess it's good to see them return as long as they don't eat your favorite garden plants.

That's what fences are for...we have a fenced yard, but it's only a part of our 2.1 acres.

This is the first time I've had to resort to the pesticides. These ants are so aggressive. They were trying to force their way into DH's homebrew buckets! YUCK.

The deer must have visited recently - my echinaceas and carnations were also pruned.

We've lost all 6 of our large koi, some we had for 10 years, to raccoons this year! Even our little goldfish got eaten. Worse, DH found fish head bones in the yard.

Not quite critters but that is some grub!

Anna, here's a photo for you! Hope it doesn't make you homesick!



And I opened the gate and let them in!



That's our smokehouse on the far left. We keep the riding mower in it. Forgot to add, we were at the lake!

That's a big one Anna, what is it? cutworm?

Sandi, nice of you to invite a few friends in for the weekend.

That looks like a Rhinoceros beetle grub. They're good guys, I think.

YUCK! Good or not that thing is frightening!!

Thankyou for those Canada Geese. I feel lucky if I spot them flying in the spring or fall.
I am glad to know it is beneficial. I forgot to weigh own the container and it ended up back in the garden or maybe an easy meal for a bird.

I'll gather some and box them for you. After I invited them into our yard, they left me some huge surprises all over the yard!!!

I hope you are talking about the geese, not grubs!
I have heard geese are very messy.

Messy is an understatement! The dock, the deck, the driveway....all "messy!" They definitely have a"pecking" order too.

Canada geese have taken over the northeast and have been a nuisance. They've claimed so many of the waterways that the other native waterfowl are losing nesting ground.

The town where I grew up recently installed decoy swans to keep the geese away!

too bad

Speaking of critters, I was driving past someone's gate out in the country today and saw this! I wondered if it was the feral hogs that inspired this...or did they have domestic pigs? Either way, I thought it was danged cute! Sign says WOOPIG!

Me thinks he's an Arkansas Razorback! Cute, tho!

I think Sandi's right - that's the Razorback red. And I think that's the 'battle cry' too. Very cute!

All I have is real obnoxious critters. Wonder if a metal one would chase them away?

Sandi, I need to get you some cuttings of the begonia. Hummers have been all over them!