THE MUD DAUBER/DIRT DOBBER IS YOUR FRIEND~COLLECTING SPIDERS

THE MUD DAUBER/DIRT DAUBER IS YOUR FRIEND~COLLECTING SPIDERS

The mud dauber/dirt dauber is your friend and collects spiders to feed it's larvae.  Among those spiders are black widow and recluse.  If you leave their little mud nest alone, they will rid your area of a lot of spiders.  The post below this picture tells you about the dirt dauber.  They're a little black wasp.  I've never noticed them being aggressive.

"A Mud Dauber nest fell onto the porch last night, spilling the contents of several brood chambers. The large maggot looking larva is the baby Mud Dauber (wasp) and the spiders strewn all about are its food. The mother goes around collecting spiders, her sting paralyzingly but not killing them, and seals them up in a mud chamber along with a single egg. Once hatched, the larva begins feeding on the still living spiders! So cool."

SIGNS OF AN ORPHANED FAWN ~ TIPS OF EARS ARE CURLED

SIGNS OF AN ORPHANED FAWN ~ TIPS OF EARS ARE CURLED

Wild Heart Ranch The ears stand back up after a few days of eating. So far after at least 10 years of using this sign with callers that if ears are straight, watch from a distance for mom and let us know, 100% of the fawns with straight ears who were NOT suffering from another issue, (dogs, flood, dead mom) were claimed by mom. They DO dehydrate before the ears curl, but this is a sure way to tell from a distance you have an orphan or if ears are straight, lets give mom a chance without spooking the fawn off its spot, potentially sending it into danger or getting it lost. I trust it and I would never deny an orphan, but nothing is a bigger fail to me than taking a baby from a healthy mom.

"Ears are straight, fawn is great. Ears are curled, fawn alone in the world." Look at the ears before picking up a fawn. It takes a few days of not eating for the ears to curl. Here's a photo of both scenarios.

FUN WITH EGGSHELLS

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"PLEASE DON'T THROW MY LEAVES AWAY"

"PLEASE DON'T THROW MY LEAVES AWAY"

Your trees are begging you not to throw their leaves away.

Their roots are deep and bring up the minerals and good things in the earth for nourishment.

Those minerals go straight to the leaves.  In the fall as they flutter to the ground, they are putting those minerals and good things back into the soil to nourish the roots.

Those leaves are organic matter and as they decay, all is returned to the soil.

Healthy soil is what makes a healthy garden.
(Be organic~no chemicals, please)

Most of the leaves in my yard are soft and will decay pretty quickly.  I don't mind the look of the fallen leaves.  If they bother you, you can mow over them to break them up.  Then you can rake over them and they will settle to the ground and be a good mulch, then compost for the grass and your landscape.

If you think you have too many leaves for your grass, rake them into the flower beds and extra piles around your trees.  Or, you can share them with your neighbors.

FALLING LEAVES IS HOW THE EARTH REPLENISHES ITSELF.

PLEASE DON'T THROW THE LEAVES AWAY.

12-21-14

BEAUTIFUL BIRDS ~ BAR BELLIED PITTA & GOLDEN HEADED MANAKIN

Bar Bellied Pitta

Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam

Golden Headed Manakin
Central and South America

BEAUTIFUL FACE ~ LEOPARD OR JAGUAR?

BEAUTIFUL FACE ~ LEOPARD OR JAGUAR?

SAN ANTONIO ZOO ~ REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEATH OF SUDAN ~ THE LAST MALE NORTHERN WHITE RHINO ON EARTH

SAN ANTONIO ZOO ~ REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEATH OF SUDAN ~ THE LAST MALE NORTHERN WHITE RHINO ON EARTH 

"On March 19, 2018 the world lost Sudan, the world's last remaining male northern white rhino.  There are only two females remaining on earth.

Those who wish to bring flowers may lay them at the base of our "The Last Three" sculpture on this day in remembrance of Sudan."