the raccoon at mom's house

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

snowy courtyard

 ^^the inner courtyard on a snowy evening

^^raccoon tracks. Though rarely seen, the gardens are visited by raccoons and other creatures at night.

Raccoons stick to routine and reuse the same spots for toileting, usualy in a dry area. They share some parasites with cats and frequently carry Toxoplasma, as well as a tapeworm species and other parasites that can be passed on to humans. If you find a raccoon/housecat latrine, please double glove and put on a mask before removing feces. Also, let your supervisor know so they can pass a message on to me, or email Grumpy at gardenatmomshouse(@)gmail.com .


images by Storm