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Crane flies
An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern
what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? -- Jeff |
Crane flies
On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said:
An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon |
Crane flies
On 2013-09-27 11:15:01 +0100, Jake said:
On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:30:58 +0200, Martin wrote: On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote: On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said: An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. Our jackdaw population has risen dramatically, but all our many magpies have disappeared. Have only seen a couple of crane flies this year, nothing like the usual numbers. After last year's magpie "explosion" the neighbouring farmer has been culling this year and I haven't seen more than 2 together at any time Last year a dozen or more would arrive in the garden together and kill other birds, apparently for sport as the bodies were left lying where they fell. It's a lot quieter too! We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon www.helpforheroes.org.uk |
Crane flies
On 27/09/2013 11:23, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-27 11:15:01 +0100, Jake said: On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:30:58 +0200, Martin wrote: On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote: On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said: An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. Our jackdaw population has risen dramatically, but all our many magpies have disappeared. Have only seen a couple of crane flies this year, nothing like the usual numbers. After last year's magpie "explosion" the neighbouring farmer has been culling this year and I haven't seen more than 2 together at any time Last year a dozen or more would arrive in the garden together and kill other birds, apparently for sport as the bodies were left lying where they fell. It's a lot quieter too! We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks! Many magpies here, though there seems a dearth of Squirrels. An newspaper article recently claimed that the grey squirrel population has, for no known reason has dropped, and red squirrels are on the up. |
Crane flies
We don't have Grey Squirrels on the Isle of Wight here, only Reds, but we do have a lot of Magpies and Rooks. Mike "Broadback" wrote in message ... On 27/09/2013 11:23, Sacha wrote: On 2013-09-27 11:15:01 +0100, Jake said: On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:30:58 +0200, Martin wrote: On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote: On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said: An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. Our jackdaw population has risen dramatically, but all our many magpies have disappeared. Have only seen a couple of crane flies this year, nothing like the usual numbers. After last year's magpie "explosion" the neighbouring farmer has been culling this year and I haven't seen more than 2 together at any time Last year a dozen or more would arrive in the garden together and kill other birds, apparently for sport as the bodies were left lying where they fell. It's a lot quieter too! We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks! Many magpies here, though there seems a dearth of Squirrels. An newspaper article recently claimed that the grey squirrel population has, for no known reason has dropped, and red squirrels are on the up. |
Crane flies
On 2013-09-27 11:31:19 +0100, Broadback said:
On 27/09/2013 11:23, Sacha wrote: On 2013-09-27 11:15:01 +0100, Jake said: On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:30:58 +0200, Martin wrote: On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote: On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said: An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. Our jackdaw population has risen dramatically, but all our many magpies have disappeared. Have only seen a couple of crane flies this year, nothing like the usual numbers. After last year's magpie "explosion" the neighbouring farmer has been culling this year and I haven't seen more than 2 together at any time Last year a dozen or more would arrive in the garden together and kill other birds, apparently for sport as the bodies were left lying where they fell. It's a lot quieter too! We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks! Many magpies here, though there seems a dearth of Squirrels. An newspaper article recently claimed that the grey squirrel population has, for no known reason has dropped, and red squirrels are on the up. Yes, I read that, too. And they've recently released red squirrels on Tresco, which has no greys. Jersey has only red squirrels but some of those are almost black. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon www.helpforheroes.org.uk |
Crane flies
On 27/09/2013 11:44, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-27 11:31:19 +0100, Broadback said: On 27/09/2013 11:23, Sacha wrote: On 2013-09-27 11:15:01 +0100, Jake said: On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:30:58 +0200, Martin wrote: On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote: On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said: An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. Our jackdaw population has risen dramatically, but all our many magpies have disappeared. Have only seen a couple of crane flies this year, nothing like the usual numbers. After last year's magpie "explosion" the neighbouring farmer has been culling this year and I haven't seen more than 2 together at any time Last year a dozen or more would arrive in the garden together and kill other birds, apparently for sport as the bodies were left lying where they fell. It's a lot quieter too! We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks! Many magpies here, though there seems a dearth of Squirrels. An newspaper article recently claimed that the grey squirrel population has, for no known reason has dropped, and red squirrels are on the up. Yes, I read that, too. And they've recently released red squirrels on Tresco, which has no greys. Jersey has only red squirrels but some of those are almost black. I hear you have been exporting what our local paper calls "deadly false widow spiders". Loads of sightings here in the south east, but apparently it has been thriving in Devon for some years. I will be taking extra care bringing the washing in..... |
Crane flies
On 2013-09-27 12:07:18 +0000, stuart noble said:
On 27/09/2013 11:44, Sacha wrote: On 2013-09-27 11:31:19 +0100, Broadback said: On 27/09/2013 11:23, Sacha wrote: On 2013-09-27 11:15:01 +0100, Jake said: On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:30:58 +0200, Martin wrote: On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote: On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said: An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. Our jackdaw population has risen dramatically, but all our many magpies have disappeared. Have only seen a couple of crane flies this year, nothing like the usual numbers. After last year's magpie "explosion" the neighbouring farmer has been culling this year and I haven't seen more than 2 together at any time Last year a dozen or more would arrive in the garden together and kill other birds, apparently for sport as the bodies were left lying where they fell. It's a lot quieter too! We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks! Many magpies here, though there seems a dearth of Squirrels. An newspaper article recently claimed that the grey squirrel population has, for no known reason has dropped, and red squirrels are on the up. Yes, I read that, too. And they've recently released red squirrels on Tresco, which has no greys. Jersey has only red squirrels but some of those are almost black. I hear you have been exporting what our local paper calls "deadly false widow spiders". Loads of sightings here in the south east, but apparently it has been thriving in Devon for some years. I will be taking extra care bringing the washing in..... We know someone in North Devon who was bitten by a spider and her arm swelled enormously, so maybe that was the culprit. And our doc now thinks that what might have bitten Ray a few years ago when his lip swelled right up. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon |
Crane flies
On 2013-09-27 12:36:25 +0000, Chris Hogg said:
On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 11:44:28 +0100, Sacha wrote: On 2013-09-27 11:31:19 +0100, Broadback said: Many magpies here, though there seems a dearth of Squirrels. An newspaper article recently claimed that the grey squirrel population has, for no known reason has dropped, and red squirrels are on the up. Yes, I read that, too. And they've recently released red squirrels on Tresco, which has no greys. Jersey has only red squirrels but some of those are almost black. ISTR that they released several red squirrels there last year, but only two survived the winter. I know it was rather a long and cold winter, but it raises the question as to whether Tresco the ideal place for them. I thought they liked dense, mostly conifer, woodland. Apparently, it's been gone into very carefully by all sorts of wildlife experts, so it's not just something done on a whim. There are some areas of conifer on Tresco and quite a deep shelter belt round the garden itself. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon |
Crane flies
On 2013-09-27 13:04:21 +0000, Jake said:
On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 11:23:45 +0100, Sacha wrote: We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks! You've started me thinking now! Usually birds in quantity are a constant here. But now I think of it, I haven't noticed any birds, other than the occasional blackbird, at the feeders or table for weeks now and I've started removing the uneaten stuff before it rots. The cotoneasters and pyracanthas are usually stripped of berries before they've fully ripened but this year there's a good display. The September invasion of starlings hasn't happened either. I wonder why! I did fill some bird feeders but they took several days to empty, so for now I've left them empty. There are lots of seeds etc. around and Matthew even grew a row of sunflowers in the field for the birds to take. When it gets colder, I'll start filling them again but the weather is still very mild here. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon |
Crane flies
On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote:
On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said: An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw population has dropped dramatically. Huge plague of them here too. Also spiders, but that's not unusual! -- Gardening in Lower Normandy |
Crane flies
On 27/09/2013 14:04, Jake wrote:
You've started me thinking now! Usually birds in quantity are a constant here. But now I think of it, I haven't noticed any birds, other than the occasional blackbird, at the feeders or table for weeks now and I've started removing the uneaten stuff before it rots. The cotoneasters and pyracanthas are usually stripped of berries before they've fully ripened but this year there's a good display. The September invasion of starlings hasn't happened either. I wonder why! Sounds like it must be something Monty has done or not done:)) |
Crane flies
Jeff Layman wrote:
An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots? I have noticed flocks of rooks on the golf course hunting crane fly larvae I assume. The Green Staff spray the greens to stop damage from birds hunting the grubs, but on the fairways I see flocks of rooks digging away like mad. And always at this time of year. You could almost set your watch by them. Peter -- - The e-mail address obviously doesn't exist. If it's essential that you contact me then try peterATpfjamesDOTcoDOTuk |
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