You'll always be PORG to us, Nick!

k :-)

k wrote:
You'll always be PORG to us, Nick!

Thanks, k. I have been assimilated! I'm such a sentimental old fool. ;-)

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

Dragonflies are incredible little machines.
They can fly in any direction you can imagine and can change
directions almost instantly. I have oodles of them around and get to
watch them often. I've seen them hover, fly backwards, change heading
in an instant, they can even take off from the ground in reverse. Even
with damaged wings late in the season they still can perform
incredible aerobatics.

I love dragonflies! I live in central Florida and we have a variety
that has reddish wings. A few times a year I've noticed large number
of them flying around everywhere performing their acrobatics with
their wings sparkling in the full sun. It's really impressive. I
don't see nearly as many damselflies but that's partially their fault
since they aren't nearly as bold.

In article ,
Nick Cramer wrote:

San Diego Joe wrote:
"Nick Cramer" wrote:
Galen Hekhuis wrote:
On Sat, 7 Jul 2007 06:37:44 CST, Nick Cramer
[ . . . ]
Hmmm, 3.85" is what we had this year. You must live around here
somewhere!

North Hollywood, Joe.

Drove through there this AM. sad that you're calling it quits on your
pond for the time being, but this summer in the San Fernando Valley
looks like it's going to be another toasty one.

Haven't seen but a few mosquitos around here in Ventura (even hiking
yesterday in creek in Montecito) I guess all the mosquito fish are doing
their job! They certainly keep my pond clean, and you and I both can get
them free from our local Mosquito Abatement departments.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

In article ,
Galen Hekhuis wrote:

On Sat, 7 Jul 2007 14:04:47 CST, ~ jan wrote:

On Sat, 7 Jul 2007 10:03:58 CST, Galen Hekhuis
wrote:

An alternative to draining the pond or fussing with fish might be to
use "mosquito dunks," (Bacillus thuringiensis) for effective long term
control. It is a bacteria specific to mosquito larvae, and affects
absolutely nothing else. It is a biological control that is safe and
100% effective in my experience.

I agree, if not just because I seem to have less problems now with
mosquitoes than before the ponds went in. Lots of dragon flies. (Do damsel
flies eat mosquitoes? Hundreds of those around.) We do have mosquito
control, but I'm not sure they're doing anything more than what they've
always done. So far only bitten once this season, but I'm fairly certain
that didn't happen in my yard. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Yes, damselflies eat mosquitoes. Dragonflies and damselflies eat
mosquitoes. Every stage of life (except the eggs) of those critters
eat mosquitoes. They will eat just about anything that flies. They
follow my tractor around when I'm mowing because they know I startle
lots of bugs into flight. Dragonflies are incredible little machines.
They can fly in any direction you can imagine and can change
directions almost instantly. I have oodles of them around and get to
watch them often. I've seen them hover, fly backwards, change heading
in an instant, they can even take off from the ground in reverse. Even
with damaged wings late in the season they still can perform
incredible aerobatics. As anyone who has carelessly handled one can
attest, they can inflict quite a healthy bite, but they do not sting.
Damselflies are just as vicious as dragonflies, but are smaller, fold
their wings, and have a cute name.
--
Galen Hekhuis
I don't recall...

Is that what some people refer to as "stick bugs"? (Very small
dragonflies with wings not as pronounced)

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

On Jul 7, 6:37 am, Nick Cramer wrote:
I have decided that, rather than get Mosquito fish, I will drain the pond.
That algae rich water should make the plants in our backyard happy. I've
heard that Nile virus is on the upsurge this year, so anyplace mosquitos
might breed is a good place to take immediate action.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

I add Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) to my pond! Have never
had any mosquito larvae in the pond! They are more native to Colorado
than Mosquito fish! I get them from Carolina Biological supply whcih
gets them from Texas! They are used in LD-50 Tests! Although I find
that about 50 Percent die when you add them to the pond! Some LD-50
test!
I also keep the surface of my pond in constant motion!

Kurt wrote:
Nick Cramer wrote:
San Diego Joe wrote:
"Nick Cramer" wrote:
Galen Hekhuis wrote:
[ . . . ]
North Hollywood, Joe. [ . . . ]
I guess all the mosquito fish are doing
their job! They certainly keep my pond clean, and you and I both can get
them free from our local Mosquito Abatement departments.

Thanks, Kurt. i just don't have the energy anymore. ;-(

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

Kurt wrote:

Is that what some people refer to as "stick bugs"? (Very small
dragonflies with wings not as pronounced)

iirc, the significant difference between dragonflies & damselflies is just
that one folds its wings and the other doesn't.

I haven't heard the term "stick bug", but that doesn't mean much - it might
just refer to one specific species.
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.

Derek Broughton wrote:

Kurt wrote:

Is that what some people refer to as "stick bugs"? (Very small
dragonflies with wings not as pronounced)

iirc, the significant difference between dragonflies & damselflies is just
that one folds its wings and the other doesn't.

oops - that should be "significant apparent difference". Biologically, they
could be extremely different for all I know :-)
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.

On Mon, 9 Jul 2007 11:11:50 CST, Derek Broughton
wrote:

Derek Broughton wrote:

Kurt wrote:

Is that what some people refer to as "stick bugs"? (Very small
dragonflies with wings not as pronounced)

iirc, the significant difference between dragonflies & damselflies is just
that one folds its wings and the other doesn't.

oops - that should be "significant apparent difference". Biologically, they
could be extremely different for all I know :-)

They are both of the same order: Odonata. Dragonflies are in the
suborder Anisoptera while damselflies are suborder Zygoptera. It
seems except for size and wing-folding there seems to be not a whole
lot oaf difference between them. The nymphs seem to exhibit the most
distinct differences. I always thought the term "stick bugs"
referred to "walkingsticks," or any of the family Phasmatidae, in the
same order as grasshopper and crickets and the like, Orthoptera.
--
Galen Hekhuis
I may have mispoken

In article ,
Galen Hekhuis wrote:

On Mon, 9 Jul 2007 11:11:50 CST, Derek Broughton
wrote:

Derek Broughton wrote:

Kurt wrote:

Is that what some people refer to as "stick bugs"? (Very small
dragonflies with wings not as pronounced)

iirc, the significant difference between dragonflies & damselflies is just
that one folds its wings and the other doesn't.

oops - that should be "significant apparent difference". Biologically, they
could be extremely different for all I know :-)

They are both of the same order: Odonata. Dragonflies are in the
suborder Anisoptera while damselflies are suborder Zygoptera. It
seems except for size and wing-folding there seems to be not a whole
lot oaf difference between them. The nymphs seem to exhibit the most
distinct differences. I always thought the term "stick bugs"
referred to "walkingsticks," or any of the family Phasmatidae, in the
same order as grasshopper and crickets and the like, Orthoptera.
--
My wife, (from Pittsburgh) thought this was the familiar term for them.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

Galen Hekhuis wrote:

I always thought the term "stick bugs"
referred to "walkingsticks," or any of the family Phasmatidae, in the
same order as grasshopper and crickets and the like, Orthoptera.

So did I - but if I've learned anything in the last 7 years of working with
taxonomists, it's that you don't know _what_ you're talking about if it
isn't a scientific name, and even then you may be confused :-)

Or even outside the field of taxonomy - my wife once asked in a fish market
if they had any shark, and the fishmonger quietly told her they called
it "Rock Salmon" in Ontario.
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.

practically speaking. Marilyn the Pond Lady lives nearly in the swamp
and she has almost no mosquitoes with all her ponds. she got ticks of
course, no guinea hens.. wowo... maybe I need to get her some of
those. Ingrid

On Sat, 7 Jul 2007 14:04:47 CST, ~ jan wrote:

On Sat, 7 Jul 2007 10:03:58 CST, Galen Hekhuis
wrote:

An alternative to draining the pond or fussing with fish might be to
use "mosquito dunks," (Bacillus thuringiensis) for effective long term
control. It is a bacteria specific to mosquito larvae, and affects
absolutely nothing else. It is a biological control that is safe and
100% effective in my experience.

I agree, if not just because I seem to have less problems now with
mosquitoes than before the ponds went in. Lots of dragon flies. (Do damsel
flies eat mosquitoes? Hundreds of those around.) We do have mosquito
control, but I'm not sure they're doing anything more than what they've
always done. So far only bitten once this season, but I'm fairly certain
that didn't happen in my yard. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

"Kurt" wrote in message
...

Is that what some people refer to as "stick bugs"? (Very small
dragonflies with wings not as pronounced)
========================
Not wherever I've lived. Stick bugs are quite different. On Long Island
dragon flies were called darning needles and dining needles.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Galen Hekhuis wrote:

They are both of the same order: Odonata. Dragonflies are in the
suborder Anisoptera while damselflies are suborder Zygoptera. It
seems except for size and wing-folding there seems to be not a whole
lot oaf difference between them. The nymphs seem to exhibit the most
distinct differences.

I always distinguished between them by observing their eyes.
Dragonflies tend to have their eyes on the front of their heads.
Damselflies have them on the sides. I looked it up in the book
published by the Seattle Audobon society "Dragonflies of Washington" to
be sure.

Iduna