COLD DARK ROOM

[JoesMum]

Some photos from my trail camera. We had 3 hedgehogs visiting regularly last year. This year we have one irregular visitor and he pitched up last night.


The daytime visitors include a grey squirrel (boo hiss!)


A very scratty juvenile magpie


A woodpigeon


And I have lots of photos of blackbirds taking a bath [emoji16]

 

[Maro2Bear]

Some photos from my trail camera. We had 3 hedgehogs visiting regularly last year. This year we have one irregular visitor and he pitched up last night.
View attachment 276229

The daytime visitors include a grey squirrel (boo hiss!)
View attachment 276230

A very scratty juvenile magpie
View attachment 276231

A woodpigeon
View attachment 276232

And I have lots of photos of blackbirds taking a bath [emoji16]
View attachment 276233

Good snaps. Keep them coming.

 

[Cathie G]

View attachment 276158

Such a beautiful little cat. It's nice you found each other.

 

[Cathie G]

Moe girl saying hi [emoji851][emoji217]View attachment 276173

What a beautiful sweetie! Happiness shines from her face.

 

[Cathie G]

Another day! How are you all?

I finally got back on track and remembered all day that it's Tuesday. Haven't heard bangs and booms thank God.

 

[Cathie G]

I suspect the ones we can buy are tropical. They’re all non hardy.

They could also be considered invasive because they put out tons of baby plants. Maybe that's why you haven't seen them for sale in your country...but really I've only seen the little plants fairly close to the large established bush. Which is giving me ulterior motivation because there is several established plants in my neighbor's yard. I'd rather have that type instead of the double flower one that I have that's probably a hybrid. I've not tried transplanting them yet...

 

[Maro2Bear]

And of course there are cages for mantises!

• These unique net cages are must haves for anybody raising young mantises (including egg cases), caterpillars, butterflies and moths, stick-insects etc. These measure 17 X 17 X 17 inches. An attractive plastic viewing window covers one face of the cube, while the other 5 faces are net. The fine mesh and zipper combination keeps your pets in the cage, while preventing pests from entering from the outside. Unzip three edges (of one face of the cube) for easy opening and closing. Or, just unzip a few inches to drop in some fruit flies or to easily perform tank maintainence, etc. The cages are washable. Misting your pets is very easy as fine water droplets still pass through the mesh very easily.

https://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Large-White-Cube-Net-Mesh-Cage-bic868h.htm

Wifey was at our soon-to-be-sold house in Virginia today, and this little beetle of 4 inches was waiting at the door.

 

[Cathie G]

Is the toad still residing there?

The toad lives here but I haven't seen he/she lately. But just by chance I usually happen on the little ones living here in my yard. Their habits and what they like tell me which one it is. This is the second summer I've seen the little toad that enjoys sitting on or in the can bags next to the house. All the rest of the toads have lived in a lower part of our yard under the garage. I think they might be Fowler toads...but I'm not sure.

 

[Cathie G]

Good afternooning all. It’s not been aa good news week for my circle of friends and I visited two separately today.

The friend I had lunch with has been diagnosed with a tumour on her liver... they have yet to decide if it’s malignant. Other than that news, we had a good long chat and enjoyable lunch.

Last Friday, a friend I have known since I was a teenager had a cataract removed which was caused by the treatment she had following breast cancer. That has gone well.

Also last Friday, another friend had surgery for breast cancer. This is cancer that has recurred as she had the other breast removed ten years ago. She lives not far from the first friend so I popped in after lunch to see how she was doing.

She gave me news of a mutual friend who has had a horse riding accident. She was in the yard and a horse’s rein caught her ankle tipping her on the floor. She banged her head on the concrete and is in hospital following surgery on a fractured skull

I am feeling thankful to be healthy and offering prayers to the gods for my friends.

On a happier note, this cuckoo chick has been admitted to the wildlife rescue so hopefully, I will get to feed him on Friday [emoji7]

View attachment 276214

I'm sorry yet cheered. And I'm sure you brought some cheer to your friends. A visit from a friend does wonders for someone going through stuff. Have so much fun! feeding that little baby.

 

[Lyn W]

A late hello from me, after a busy weekend with impromptu family visitors and trying to catch up with myself.
I'm also trying to catch up with your lives and news from the last few days but need more time to read the posts properly - I expect they're all worth a 'like', I'll get there eventually but now I'm up to a 4 day week in work I have to take myself off to the Land of Nod.
I hope everyone is well and I'll speak to you soon.
Nos da for now ad take care.

 

[Bee62]

oohh A picture to colour in!!

Yes !

 

[Bee62]

It will only grow as indoor plant here in the UK. It won’t survive our winters. You could try a a garden centre for sourcing one. Unfortunately, they will probably be grown with pesticides and fertilisers that are not good for your torts as they’re not grown for eating.

You would need to wash all the compost off the roots, repot it and grow it on for at least a year and even then the systemic pesticides may well still be in the new growth.

Only indoor plant in the UK ? I`ve got some hibiskus in my garden and they overlive German winters !

 

[Cathie G]

Ze image
View attachment 276127

They forgot to put the the in there.

 

[CarolM]

Some photos from my trail camera. We had 3 hedgehogs visiting regularly last year. This year we have one irregular visitor and he pitched up last night.
View attachment 276229

The daytime visitors include a grey squirrel (boo hiss!)
View attachment 276230

A very scratty juvenile magpie
View attachment 276231

A woodpigeon
View attachment 276232

And I have lots of photos of blackbirds taking a bath [emoji16]
View attachment 276233

How sweet. I love the fact that you have made your garden a safe haven for them all.

 

[CarolM]

They could also be considered invasive because they put out tons of baby plants. Maybe that's why you haven't seen them for sale in your country...but really I've only seen the little plants fairly close to the large established bush. Which is giving me ulterior motivation because there is several established plants in my neighbor's yard. I'd rather have that type instead of the double flower one that I have that's probably a hybrid. I've not tried transplanting them yet...

I love the double flowered ones. So much more yummy for the torts to eat.

 

[CarolM]

And of course there are cages for mantises!

• These unique net cages are must haves for anybody raising young mantises (including egg cases), caterpillars, butterflies and moths, stick-insects etc. These measure 17 X 17 X 17 inches. An attractive plastic viewing window covers one face of the cube, while the other 5 faces are net. The fine mesh and zipper combination keeps your pets in the cage, while preventing pests from entering from the outside. Unzip three edges (of one face of the cube) for easy opening and closing. Or, just unzip a few inches to drop in some fruit flies or to easily perform tank maintainence, etc. The cages are washable. Misting your pets is very easy as fine water droplets still pass through the mesh very easily.

https://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Large-White-Cube-Net-Mesh-Cage-bic868h.htm

Wifey was at our soon-to-be-sold house in Virginia today, and this little beetle of 4 inches was waiting at the door.


View attachment 276238

Interesting. Are you planning on keeping a mantis?

 

[CarolM]

A late hello from me, after a busy weekend with impromptu family visitors and trying to catch up with myself.
I'm also trying to catch up with your lives and news from the last few days but need more time to read the posts properly - I expect they're all worth a 'like', I'll get there eventually but now I'm up to a 4 day week in work I have to take myself off to the Land of Nod.
I hope everyone is well and I'll speak to you soon.
Nos da for now ad take care.

Take care too Lyn.

 

[CarolM]

That was a quick catch up. I don't have much to say other than Liam has completed the tort project for me. And I am so very happy. I put the full details on the gangs ongoing thread. And I hope everyone has an awesome hump day. [emoji3]

 

[JoesMum]

And of course there are cages for mantises!

• These unique net cages are must haves for anybody raising young mantises (including egg cases), caterpillars, butterflies and moths, stick-insects etc. These measure 17 X 17 X 17 inches. An attractive plastic viewing window covers one face of the cube, while the other 5 faces are net. The fine mesh and zipper combination keeps your pets in the cage, while preventing pests from entering from the outside. Unzip three edges (of one face of the cube) for easy opening and closing. Or, just unzip a few inches to drop in some fruit flies or to easily perform tank maintainence, etc. The cages are washable. Misting your pets is very easy as fine water droplets still pass through the mesh very easily.

https://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Large-White-Cube-Net-Mesh-Cage-bic868h.htm

Wifey was at our soon-to-be-sold house in Virginia today, and this little beetle of 4 inches was waiting at the door.


View attachment 276238

That’s a beauty... sort of a slimline stag beetle.

 

[JoesMum]

@Ben02 This is what you need https://search.thompson-morgan.com/seeds/Hardy-Hibiscus

You will still need to grow it on for 12 months at least to get rid of systemic pesticides and fertilisers