Wildlife and Gardens Thread

[Trav Le Bleu]

56 minutes ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

ID'd my first False Widow spider properly.

 

Even if it were actually dangerous, it's not very intimidating and I say that as someone that normally HATES spiders. 

 

It was also outside, which helped

Do you ID it by asking it if it's got a husband?

[Bellend Sebastian]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Do you ID it by asking it if it's got a husband?

She was only calling herself that to get out of admitting she'd eaten him

[JonnyBoy]

I bought some nemasys leatherjacket killer from amazon the other week (moved into new build and garden full of crane flys all over windows etc) i didn't bother to read the reverse of the packet and didn't put them in the fridge, they were stored in a cupboard then when i realised i put them in the fridge for a week and used them y'day. 

 

Do you think they will have died? is it worth doing a second going over next week with another pack? problem is they are £20 off amazon, not cheap! 

 

 

[Spudulike]

30 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

I bought some nemasys leatherjacket killer from amazon the other week (moved into new build and garden full of crane flys all over windows etc) i didn't bother to read the reverse of the packet and didn't put them in the fridge, they were stored in a cupboard then when i realised i put them in the fridge for a week and used them y'day. 

 

Do you think they will have died? is it worth doing a second going over next week with another pack? problem is they are £20 off amazon, not cheap! 

 

 

I had this problem last autumn and the birds (Carrion Crows and Magpies) absolutely ripped my front lawn to shreds. Unbelievable, never seen anything like it before. I used Nemasys and it seemed to work unless the birds had got them all. Lawn still not fully recovered despite reseeding patches.

 

I'd have thought they would be OK in a cupboard if it was cool and not near a heat source. You can never be sure even if you followed the instructions exactly.

[JonnyBoy]

5 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

I had this problem last autumn and the birds (Carrion Crows and Magpies) absolutely ripped my front lawn to shreds. Unbelievable, never seen anything like it before. I used Nemasys and it seemed to work unless the birds had got them all. Lawn still not fully recovered despite reseeding patches.

 

I'd have thought they would be OK in a cupboard if it was cool and not near a heat source. You can never be sure even if you followed the instructions exactly.

 

Ok, may just re do in case. Is that because of the larvae from the crane fly's? is that what they were going for 

[Spudulike]

1 hour ago, JonnyBoy said:

 

Ok, may just re do in case. Is that because of the larvae from the crane fly's? is that what they were going for 

Yes, either Leatherjackets or Chafer grubs. Never worked out which ones but new lawns are vulnerable. They feed on the grass roots and leave dead patches. I had a combination of this and severe bird damage. Totally ruined the lawn but didnt relay it as I suspect it would happen again this year. It hasn't so far to what is left of my patched up sward.

[JonnyBoy]

3 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

Yes, either Leatherjackets or Chafer grubs. Never worked out which ones but new lawns are vulnerable. They feed on the grass roots and leave dead patches. I had a combination of this and severe bird damage. Totally ruined the lawn but didnt relay it as I suspect it would happen again this year. It hasn't so far to what is left of my patched up sward.

OK sounds like it can be a real problem. Will re-apply next weekend to be safe, thanks for the heads up. 

Edited 5 November 2025 by JonnyBoy

[Parafox]

 

My nephew who's hobby is photography, took this photo but doesn't know what the bird is.

 

Neither do I. I think it's some sort of finch?

Edited 8 January by Parafox

[brookfox]

3 hours ago, Parafox said:

 

My nephew who's hobby is photography, took this photo but doesn't know what the bird is.

 

Neither do I. I think it's some sort of finch?

European goldfinch I think.

 

Saw a kingfisher today, absolutely beautiful but far too fast for a photo

[Foxdiamond]

39 minutes ago, brookfox said:

European goldfinch I think.

 

Saw a kingfisher today, absolutely beautiful but far too fast for a photo

Yes. Definitely a Goldfinch. Talking of finches saw a Bullfinch eating Pyracantha berries in garden today

[FoyleFox]

5 hours ago, Parafox said:

 

My nephew who's hobby is photography, took this photo but doesn't know what the bird is.

 

Neither do I. I think it's some sort of finch?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_goldfinch

[Spudulike]

15 hours ago, Parafox said:

 

My nephew who's hobby is photography, took this photo but doesn't know what the bird is.

 

Neither do I. I think it's some sort of finch?

They are partial to sunflower hearts although they make a right mess of your feeders.

[FoxesDeb]

22 hours ago, Parafox said:

 

My nephew who's hobby is photography, took this photo but doesn't know what the bird is.

 

Neither do I. I think it's some sort of finch?

Google Lens is your friend for things like this

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, FoxesDeb said:

Google Lens is your friend for things like this

Thanks. I have now downloaded the app on my phone. 

 

And I've now discovered co-pilot will do similar for pics found online.

[Izzy]

Had a visitor at the front door earlier then six of his mates turned up!

 

 

[MC Prussian]

Any recommendations for a good, pretty and sturdy decorative plant for balconies, especially ones that are exposed to wind often?

 

I tried it with bamboo. I thought it could work, but the plant is so thirsty. And it just wouldn't grow as much as I expected.

Looking for a plant that offers me a bit of a screen, too.

Edited 13 January by MC Prussian

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 hours ago, Izzy said:

Had a visitor at the front door earlier then six of his mates turned up!

 

 

I knew it!

 

Izzy lives in Lady Jane Grey's house!

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 hours ago, MC Prussian said:

Any recommendations for a good, pretty and sturdy decorative plant for balconies, especially ones that are exposed to wind often?

 

I tried it with bamboo. I thought it could work, but the plant is so thirsty. And it just wouldn't grow as much as I expected.

Looking for a plant that offers me a bit of a screen, too.

If you want something that grows faster than bamboo? Are you sure it was bamboo? It's notorious for getting out of control pretty quickly!

 

Are you growing in pots on a balcony, up against rails or fence? Personally I love ferns. Huge range of shapes and sizes and easy to look after.

[FoyleFox]

9 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

If you want something that grows faster than bamboo? Are you sure it was bamboo? It's notorious for getting out of control pretty quickly!

 

Are you growing in pots on a balcony, up against rails or fence? Personally I love ferns. Huge range of shapes and sizes and easy to look after.

I was thinking similar. MC must have had the only slow growing bamboo, if it was. We bought a black one, allegedly the slowest growing variety and it's gone nuts. I think we're going to take it out this spring. The shoots are spreading everywhere. 

 

Laurel is good for screening and grows quickly. Or a photinias for more colour. 

[Foxdiamond]

4 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

I was thinking similar. MC must have had the only slow growing bamboo, if it was. We bought a black one, allegedly the slowest growing variety and it's gone nuts. I think we're going to take it out this spring. The shoots are spreading everywhere. 

 

Laurel is good for screening and grows quickly. Or a photinias for more colour. 

Good recommendations regarding Laurel and Photinia. As for bamboo pick clumping forms rather than running types for control. As for watering container plants will need more than those in ground

[Spudulike]

20 hours ago, MC Prussian said:

Any recommendations for a good, pretty and sturdy decorative plant for balconies, especially ones that are exposed to wind often?

 

I tried it with bamboo. I thought it could work, but the plant is so thirsty. And it just wouldn't grow as much as I expected.

Looking for a plant that offers me a bit of a screen, too.

Fatsia Japonica  

 

[Parafox]

Talking of bamboo. We planted some in the front garden several years ago to provide a screen as we're a corner property but now its out of control and has grown into and amongst the existing  hedges and is difficult to cut back.

 

I believe it's notoriously difficult to kill off.

 

Any suggestions? I've cut a lot down to ground level where I can get it but it comes back with a vengeance.

 

We can't get to any roots to dig them out BTW and we want to avoid killing the hedge and bushes that it' has invaded.

Edited 14 January by Parafox

[Spudulike]

9 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Talking of bamboo. We planted some in the front garden several years ago to provide a screen as we're a corner property but now its out of control and has grown into and amongst the existing  hedges and is difficult to cut back.

 

I believe it's notoriously difficult to kill off.

 

Any suggestions? I've cut a lot down to ground level where I can get it but it comes back with a vengeance.

 

We can't get to any roots to dig them out BTW and we want to avoid killing the hedge and bushes that it' has invaded.

Need to find out the variety to know what you're dealing with. It's going to be labour intensive 

 

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/grasses/bamboo-control

 

[Parafox]

1 minute ago, Spudulike said:

Need to find out the variety to know what you're dealing with. It's going to be labour intensive 

 

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/grasses/bamboo-control

 

Thanks Spud.

 

I think it's the running bamboo as it spreads so much. It's impossible to contain it into one area.

 

I thought it might be hard work. 

 

Maybe I should resign myself to repeatedly cutting it down.

 

It's growing through a red robin hedge that's 6ft tall so I guess I could just trim it off when I trim the hedge but the bamboo grows well above 6ft at a rapid rate and I'd rather not have it at all.

[Spudulike]

Might be time to clear the whole hedge out for long term gain. Now is the time to do it before the birds start to nest.

 

Could replant with Red Robin, if you like it, as it's quite quick growing or something like Portugal Laurel.