Wildlife and Gardens Thread

[Trav Le Bleu]

Springwatch is back and Michaela Strachan just said, "tits in your f-hole."

 

This is why you pay the licence fee!

[Trav Le Bleu]

Saw a hummingbird moth today. Really unique insect, haven't seen one in Leicestershire in at least 10 years. (I know this because I last saw one here in the back garden of my old house).

[The Bear]

On 25/05/2026 at 20:15, Trav Le Bleu said:

Springwatch is back and Michaela Strachan just said, "tits in your f-hole."

 

This is why you pay the licence fee!

Did you see her do a handstand the other night? Packham didn't know where to look as she bent over and pointed her arse straight at his face 😂 

[The Bear]

On 22/05/2026 at 11:59, Samilktray said:

Is there a quicker and easier way to weed other than going round ripping them out every so often. Do my head in they do.

Get some white spirit vinegar (either natural or chemically made acetic acid) and put that neat into a spray bottle with a good glug of washing up liquid and a tablespoon of salt. 

 

Spray all your weeds with a good coating and within a couple of days (make sure it isn't going to rain for a few days) they'll go brown and wither and die. Then just pull/brush them up. 

 

It's all biodegradable stuff so doesn't harm pets. The white vinegar smell will put them off going near it any way. White vinegar is also a very handy household cleaner for stains, grease and descaling too. You can even put it in the washing machine instead of softener. Works just as well. 

 

I bought a 5 liter bottle of the stronger 40% acetic acid stuff. Killed my weeds dead and flat in 3 days, plus I descaled a bathroom tap spout which was losing flow. Still got loads left. 

Edited Saturday at 17:40 by The Bear

[Free Falling Foxes]

On 06/06/2026 at 18:37, The Bear said:

Get some white spirit vinegar (either natural or chemically made acetic acid) and put that neat into a spray bottle with a good glug of washing up liquid and a tablespoon of salt. 

 

Spray all your weeds with a good coating and within a couple of days (make sure it isn't going to rain for a few days) they'll go brown and wither and die. Then just pull/brush them up. 

 

It's all biodegradable stuff so doesn't harm pets. The white vinegar smell will put them off going near it any way. White vinegar is also a very handy household cleaner for stains, grease and descaling too. You can even put it in the washing machine instead of softener. Works just as well. 

 

I bought a 5 liter bottle of the stronger 40% acetic acid stuff. Killed my weeds dead and flat in 3 days, plus I descaled a bathroom tap spout which was losing flow. Still got loads left. 

Will it work on Ivy?

I swear that stuff grows a few inches each time you turn your back.

I've read that most weed killers don't touch it because of their glossy leaves. One site suggested crushing some of the leaves to cause cracks in surface so weed killer can get in.

Tried it. Didn't work. 

[Parafox]

On 06/06/2026 at 18:37, The Bear said:

Get some white spirit vinegar (either natural or chemically made acetic acid) and put that neat into a spray bottle with a good glug of washing up liquid and a tablespoon of salt. 

 

Spray all your weeds with a good coating and within a couple of days (make sure it isn't going to rain for a few days) they'll go brown and wither and die. Then just pull/brush them up. 

 

It's all biodegradable stuff so doesn't harm pets. The white vinegar smell will put them off going near it any way. White vinegar is also a very handy household cleaner for stains, grease and descaling too. You can even put it in the washing machine instead of softener. Works just as well. 

 

I bought a 5 liter bottle of the stronger 40% acetic acid stuff. Killed my weeds dead and flat in 3 days, plus I descaled a bathroom tap spout which was losing flow. Still got loads left. 

Is this available from B&Q etc?

[Parafox]

Is a dove just a white/albino pigeon?

 

We've been plagued with the feckers recently. I wouldn't want to see a dove cry, but a pigeon... 

[The Bear]

1 hour ago, Parafox said:

Is this available from B&Q etc?

Yes, some supermarkets stock it too. Though probably lower % (5-20) but it should still work. I just decided to go overkill and get the really strong 40% stuff. 

 

1 hour ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

Will it work on Ivy?

I swear that stuff grows a few inches each time you turn your back.

I've read that most weed killers don't touch it because of their glossy leaves. One site suggested crushing some of the leaves to cause cracks in surface so weed killer can get in.

Tried it. Didn't work. 

It should do. The washing up liquid is added to increase viscosity and to get it to stick to and coat the leaves. 

 

You could always just spray it every day for a couple of days to make sure. 

 

If that still doesn't work then pour some salt down by the roots. My mum used to use salt all the time on her patio cracks. 

Edited Sunday at 19:58 by The Bear

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, Parafox said:

Is a dove just a white/albino pigeon?

 

We've been plagued with the feckers recently. I wouldn't want to see a dove cry, but a pigeon... 

No. A dove is a dove, a pigeon is a pigeon.

 

Either way, if they're white, they're not wild and someone has a pigeon loft nearby.

 

Edit: or possibly a dovecote.

Edited Sunday at 20:44 by Trav Le Bleu

[DJW1]

19 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

Will it work on Ivy?

I swear that stuff grows a few inches each time you turn your back.

I've read that most weed killers don't touch it because of their glossy leaves. One site suggested crushing some of the leaves to cause cracks in surface so weed killer can get in.

Tried it. Didn't work. 

Can you cut the stems instead?

If you have no other option, you can try applying the weedkiller to the underside of the leaves

[Free Falling Foxes]

2 hours ago, DJW1 said:

Can you cut the stems instead?

If you have no other option, you can try applying the weedkiller to the underside of the leaves

At the end of our garden there are shrubs and several trees, including fruit ones. 

 

Therefore this weekend, I've been 'manually' tearing the stuff up from the ground and down from tree trunks and so on, concerned that weedkiller might affect and/or contaminate those too.

 

I repaired a fence in that area last year and couldn't believe how much has grow around it since then.

 

As an aside; I was grumbling to my next door neighbour about it. Although she is affected too, that area of her garden is mainly a lawn, so more manageable.

She also mentioned it was her late husband who had planted it in several years ago.

 

I don't like to speak I'll of the dead but who the hell would deliberately plant the stuff?

[Foxdiamond]

53 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

At the end of our garden there are shrubs and several trees, including fruit ones. 

 

Therefore this weekend, I've been 'manually' tearing the stuff up from the ground and down from tree trunks and so on, concerned that weedkiller might affect and/or contaminate those too.

 

I repaired a fence in that area last year and couldn't believe how much has grow around it since then.

 

As an aside; I was grumbling to my next door neighbour about it. Although she is affected too, that area of her garden is mainly a lawn, so more manageable.

She also mentioned it was her late husband who had planted it in several years ago.

 

I don't like to speak I'll of the dead but who the hell would deliberately plant the stuff?

Ivy gets a bad rap but it is actually a valuable plant for wildlife. Birds nest in it and bees feed on the flowers. It doesn't harm trees or damage walls or fences

[Free Falling Foxes]

22 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

Ivy gets a bad rap but it is actually a valuable plant for wildlife. Birds nest in it and bees feed on the flowers. It doesn't harm trees or damage walls or fences

Whilst removing it, I did find two nests amongst it - not in use I hasten to add.

Not too sure about the effect on trees. It was wrapping itself around three plum trees and several of the worse affected branches had died. 

But yes, I can see its value for wildlife. Not only have birds nested in it, I saw all sorts of creatures including newts, rummaging amongst the foliage. 

I've decided to just keep it in check now and restrict my efforts to stopping any further 'expansion'.

[Foxdiamond]

11 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

Whilst removing it, I did find two nests amongst it - not in use I hasten to add.

Not too sure about the effect on trees. It was wrapping itself around three plum trees and several of the worse affected branches had died. 

But yes, I can see its value for wildlife. Not only have birds nested in it, I saw all sorts of creatures including newts, rummaging amongst the foliage. 

I've decided to just keep it in check now and restrict my efforts to stopping any further 'expansion'.

I understand that healthy trees should not be affected by ivy. Perhaps the branches were damaged by something else? I can see why you don't want ivy to overtake everything but hopefully you can enjoy the benefits. 

[Foxdiamond]

Just now, Foxdiamond said:

I understand that healthy trees should not be affected by ivy. Perhaps the branches were damaged by something else? I can see why you don't want ivy to overtake everything but hopefully you can enjoy the benefits. 

Just to add that although Ivy clings to trees it is not a parasite. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, Foxdiamond said:

Ivy gets a bad rap but it is actually a valuable plant for wildlife. Birds nest in it and bees feed on the flowers. It doesn't harm trees or damage walls or fences

My privet hedge is mostly ivy, originating from my neighbour's garden.

[Foxdiamond]

33 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

My privet hedge is mostly ivy, originating from my neighbour's garden.

I remember years ago my next door neighbour planted ivy and it scrambled over the boundary fence. It looks great. So much better than a plain fence. The fence is still standing more than 25 years on.