About a month ago, I got a letter in the mail from a termite company, Terminix, which began with the following: "Ants can be more harmful to your family than you think. That's because these monsters (and others, like cockroaches may carry more than a dozen kinds of bacteria, like strep and staph. …
Go Organic to Help the Bees
One could say I’m on a bee kick. A number of my articles mention bees and despite being allergic to them – the last time I got stung I ended up in the ER, where I left with an epinephrine prescription for constant carry - they fascinate me. Our native plants attract them, the hive under …
Favorite Plants for Attracting Birds/Butterflies (Midwest/East)
In a follow-up to my post (Landscaped Yard Ushers in Butterflies and Birds) about the Damons' yard in St. Paul MN, I asked Susan for her favorite plants. Most are natives, a couple non-natives. Here is her reply (thanks Susan!) and more photos.Favorite Forbs: New England Aster (Aster …
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Pesticide Use: Consider the Collateral Damage
A couple things have prompted this post. First, we have a potentially devastating disease hitting citrus trees in SoCal with the arrival of an insect Asian Citrus Psyllid. To combat it, a pesticide spray composed of two common insecticides is being applied to local trees. Second, I read a Sierra …
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To Kill or Not to Kill Spiders
I read an article in a small newspaper (Coast News in Encinitas) about spiders and wrote the author thanking her. It quoted her children’s favorite book, Charlotte’s Web, which happens to be my favorite childhood book, and left me a permanent fondness for spiders and pigs. None in the author’s …