Fauna and other natural things

[mamselle]

The bears are enough of a problem that the town is discussing requiring bear-proof containers for all residents.

How do the residents get in and out of the containers???

<ducks and runs...>

M.

[polly_mer]

The bears are enough of a problem that the town is discussing requiring bear-proof containers for all residents.

How do the residents get in and out of the containers???

<ducks and runs...>

M.

We have lots of engineers who are good with latching technology.

[mamselle]

The bears are enough of a problem that the town is discussing requiring bear-proof containers for all residents.

How do the residents get in and out of the containers???

<ducks and runs...>

M.

We have lots of engineers who are good with latching technology.

Well done.

;--》

M.

[sinenomine]

I encountered a coyote, a fox, and a herd of deer this morning on my travels.

[Thursday's_Child]

One rabbit while walking the dog about dawn.  I wonder what size of home range a suburban rabbit would have?  We were far enough away from home that I doubt it's one of 'mine'.

[sinenomine]

I can now add a very large skunk to my fauna encounters list. Fortunately, we each went our own way, amicably.

[waterboy]

Came across an unfortunately deceased gray fox this morning. Common but rarely seen...like the bobcat I did see this summer.

[ab_grp]

Lots of very interesting sightings! I am sorry to hear about the gray fox.  And I miss seeing deer (but not having a constant fear of hitting them at certain times of the year).  We used to have some in my neighborhood who were pretty funny.  I guess they were a deer family.  They'd come up from the canal/woods area in the mornings as a group, walk up the street and through a neighbor's yard, then return as a group in the evening and go back to the canal.  It's like they were going to work every day.  I don't know if I talked about this elsewhere.  If so, I might have mentioned that my oldest had to go to the bus stop very early in the morning (and no streetlights in the neighborhood) and would occasionally hear hooves clopping along behind her closer than she wished.

Anyway, my latest sighting is (thankfully, not mine! but the info was conveyed by a neighbor) a rattlesnake in our yard.  Woo hoo.  And our exterminator came for the quarterly visit and found hobo spiders.  I know their venom is not considered toxic to humans, but I would rather not.  They're over by where some of the black widows tend to hang out.  No new tarantula sightings yet.  Exterminator confirmed that tarantulas are not the "bad" spiders like black widow, brown recluse, and hobo, which I think are the top 3 arachnid villains, and tarantulas can be helpful.  But, he did say that I should watch out if one turns its back on me, because they shoot something out of their behind area (he said something about hair) that goes into the throat, nose, etc. of the enemy.  They apparently use this tactic on coyotes.  Lots to learn.

I have not yet (knock on wood) encountered a ringtail cat or a scorpion yet. 

[Thursday's_Child]

Monarch butterflies are now migrating through and one of them laid eggs on my milkweeds, so I have young caterpillars!  I haven't had much luck growing milkweeds - I buy plants in spring and they die in fall instead of being perennials - but that may be changing b/c some of the seeds sprouted.  They're not in desirable places and don't look like their parental varieties, but I'm keeping them anyways!

[mamselle]

Cool!

I remember going past a parking lot near a lot of tall buildings and seeing monarchs.

Looked a little closer, and there was a lone milkweed growing out of a crack in the sidewalk near the fence.

Urban butterflies do exist...

:--}

M.

[FishProf]

Hmmmm.  I should plant some milkweed.

[Thursday's_Child]

Hmmmm.  I should plant some milkweed.

I agree.  :)

[fast_and_bulbous]

Hmmmm.  I should plant some milkweed.

Butterfly bush is highly recommended as well. It also smells divine (to me).

[ab_grp]

I miss my butterfly bush! I second that idea. 

We had another black and white furry critter on the back patio last night.  Between these guys and the tarantulas and snakes, I feel validated for insisting that the patio light be on before we head out there.  This one had its tail up the whole time, nosing around here and there, under the grill, etc.  I'm glad we saw it before opening the door, as it was just about two feet away at the time.  I'm sure that would have been a fun surprise for all.

[Thursday's_Child]

If I'd been more alert a couple of days ago I'd still have two monarch caterpillars.  Instead, I have one.  Also, its abrupt increase in size led to some internet searching and I now fear that it's a cannibal.

The long story is both caterpillars were on a rather small plant.  I saw eggs laid on the larger plant, but have never seen caterpillars there.  One recent evening I noticed that there were only about 4 leaves left on the small plant.  Silly me assumed that four leaves was adequate food for the night and I could wait and move them to the large plant in the morning.  In the morning there was one much larger caterpillar busily eating the now-leafless milkweed stem.  I successfully moved it and have seen no sign of the other.

Live and learn, I guess.