winter woodpecker

^^the northern flicker is a ground feeding

woodpecker that specialises in ants and beetles

bird bio at Cornel Lab of Ornithology 

they're back

After spending the winter in the bunny room, our

resident population of guppies have moved back outside.

 

 

  

 

 

 

mosquito control

 

 

ahh, aphids...

 

info here

ladybug love

Storm/WikimediaCommons
^^Ladybugs (aka ladybeetles, ladybirds) are voracious aphid and spider mite predators. Never harm
or remove these beetles from plants at any stage of their life cycle!!!

Storm/WikimediaCommons 
^^females even eat aphids while mating

Storm/WikimediaCommons 
^^two larval ladybugs, and a pupa in between

European chafer beetles and lawn damage

the beetle

wikimedia commons

wikimedia commons

the damage

Storm/CreativeCommons

Storm/CreativeCommons

Storm/CreativeCommons

^^replace larger pieces of turf and rake up the rest. Best approach is to let the birds and other predators clean out the larvae, then rake, add top dressing and sow grass seed.
Nematode treatments are only mildly successful and chemical insecticides are undesirable .
Vancouver Sun article
BC Gov/Ministry of Agriculture info page