Wildlife and Gardens - Part 7

Top 4. Jun 30, 1998 9:14 AM

» Cottage_Garden - Hi Billie! In a nutshell, riprap is rocks. Pretty big ones so

Hi Billie! In a nutshell, riprap is rocks. Pretty big ones so they won't roll down or wash away. The state might do it, you might be able to do it, but ask first for sure!!! Cost always depends on who you find to do these things...and how far they have to haul the rock and so on.

Ponds do tend to attract all kinds of wild life, but I would think given the choice they would prefer a natural bottom pond (or ditch) over one with a liner. Raccoons on the other hand are happy either way. smile

Marge will probably give you a much more detailed answer, but I am really sympathetic about your muskrats -- did you find anything useful at the sites Marge pinpointed?

Barbara Martin
The Cottage Garden Editor

-- posted by Cottage_Garden

Top 5. Jun 30, 1998 8:44 PM

» BillieA - Billie Allen Hi, Barbara. Yes, the sites were pretty interest

Billie Allen

Hi, Barbara. Yes, the sites were pretty interesting. I think we will do something with the chicken wire. Being from Pennsylvania and also in zone 6, you're probably just as familiar with our beloved Penndot as we are- it's their fault this ditch is in this condition. Every time they come out here and work on any of the ditches, it's always worse than it was before. Oh well, I shouldn't really complain; when we lived in Florida we had alligators in the canals.

P.S. Do you know how to reach the Captain and Tennile?

-- posted by BillieA

Top 6. Jun 30, 1998 9:01 PM

» Cottage_Garden - Billie, you asked, just remember that. LOL Marge, I hope you don

Billie, you asked, just remember that. LOL Marge, I hope you don't mind too much. I know you are usually very serious and correct.

I surfed and here's what I found: them and their agent (if you want to book them for your next event just use the "mainpage" link from there) and also the lyrics to that song.

Barbara Martin
The Cottage Garden Editor

-- posted by Cottage_Garden

Top 7. Jul 1, 1998 1:32 AM

» Marge_Talt - Billie and Barbara... First of all, I don't think there's muc

Billie and Barbara...

First of all, I don't think there's much for me to add except that if you do have muskrats and you build a pond with earth sides, they will come! The only way to discourage them is as Barbara says - with a liner or concrete.

Barbara - I'm not all that serious! Have fun!

Marge

Gardening in
Shade

-- posted by Marge_Talt

Top 8. Sep 5, 1999 9:02 AM

» alison1 - Muskrat luv?

Hello all,
I read with some interest a posting from 1998 from some friends in PA who were having muskrat trouble. We are on a lake in NJ and are trying to peacefully co-exist with the wildlife here. I have learned that muskrats like siberian iris, hostas, and mums. I am not having any luck finding resources that will tell me what elase they find particularly delicious. Before I put in some expensive ornamental grasses or a butterfly bush, can someone direct me to information that may help guide my decisions?
Thanks for your time!

-- posted by alison1

http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/notebook/fur...

Top 9. Sep 7, 1999 2:27 AM

» Marge_Talt - Muskrat luv??

Hi and Welcome to Gardening in Shade.

From what I've read, you do have a bit of a problem. I've never had the pleasure? of adding these critters to the crew who munch on my garden, but did a bit of web searching and found that they prefer aquatic plants with starchy roots, tubers, bulbs or stems. Bullrushes and arrowroot are mentioned often.

Normally, if food is present right at the edge of the pond or stream they have decided to live in, they will gather from there. However, they will also travel a good distance from the water to find food if none is available nearby.

The web is loaded with pages about these critters, all saying about the same things concerning their food preferences. None of them comment on which ornamental plants they either prefer or ignore. Most of the pages are devoted to trapping and hunting these guys as their fur is valuable and they are supposedly good to eat.

I do know, from reading Beth Chatto's books, that they will go after ornamentals - Gunnera is one and, I believe she had problems with marsh marigolds and other things.

Their solution was to install a masonry block wall along the banks of their ponds - not the easiest thing to do!

Other sources have said wire mesh fencing will keep them out if secured along the pond or stream banks..obviously, they could dig right under a fence installed in a normal fashion.

As for plants to plant...hmmmm...well, my guess would be woody shrubs with fibrous root systems (rhodies and azaleas if the drainage is good), perhaps those with thorns or prickery leaves (Barberries or hollies?) or those that are poisonous to even wildlife - Digitalis, narcissus, Monkshood come to mind...even deer won't eat those!

I would definitely avoid hostas whose roots are so attractive to voles and would probably be gourmet treats to muskrats, and I doubt iris would last long.

Euphorbia would probably do - if the ground is moist, E. palustris would be grand - love that plant - it's one of the few of that genera who like moist ground. Nothing eats Euphorbia, either because of the rather caustic sap. Swamp milkweed might do, too, as it also has a very milky and sticky sap.

I'd also hazard a guess that you could put in various ferns without them being eaten...I've never heard of wildlife eating ferns....always a first time, but they would be worth a try. There are many, many lovely ferns - tall and short.

Anybody else have any ideas here? Lady B, where are you?

Here are a selection of web sites with varying quantities of information about muskrats - some with photos - know thy enemy:-)

http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/mana... - this one is on controling muskrat damage in farm ponds

http://www.net-link.net/~vaneselk/muskra...

http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/musk...

http://www.nationaltrappers.com/Muskrat....

http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/...

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/00...

-- posted by Marge_Talt

Top 10. Jul 6, 2001 10:08 PM

» Minnie - About Yellowjackets

Hi Marge, Thanks for the great article.

I just accidently exposed a yellowjacket nest and it's right near our back door. I'd like to move it since our dog might sniff it and get stung.

Is there any safe way to move it and where would be an ideal spot? If I put it in the garbage can, would the yellowjackets survive being dumped? We also have small children in the neighborhood so if there's any safe way to move it, that would be ideal.

Thanks for any advice.

-- posted by Minnie

Top 11. Jul 7, 2001 12:27 AM

» Marge_Talt - Re: About Yellowjackets

In response to message posted by Minnie:

Hi Minnie, Welcome to Gardening in Shade!

Thanks for the kind words, delighted you enjoyed that article.

I am not sure you can move a yellow jacket nest without getting thoroughly stung in the process. They are pretty bad tempered critters and will chase you into the house and just keep on stinging.

While they are basically beneficial, and I hate to have to destroy a nest, since it is located so close to your back door, I'm afraid destroying it is about your only option since they are sure to attack someone at some point. Destroying the nest would best be done after dark, when they are all in it. Get a can of wasp spray and spray down into the entrance hole - saturate it and be prepared to depart speedily. Might take more than one dose.

The problem with trying to move it is that if they are disturbed, they tend to attack and I can't figure out how you'd move the nest without disturbing it.

When I was clearing woods last summer, I was on my hands and knees pulling great wads of ground ivy and uncovered a nest. I didn't realize what I'd done until they started stinging...got up and grabbed a dead branch laying nearby and just whirled it around my head as I retreated. Half a dozen of them followed me right into the garage and house...stinging wherever they could get to me...persistant critters. Not a fun evening. I left that nest, but also left all the remaining weeds around it and avoided walking near it.

They die over winter, so the nest isn't there this year...at least as far as I know...I have not examined that area thoroughly, but have not noticed them flying about near it, either and I look pretty carefully when I'm near there.

I have great respect for these guys. They will generally leave you alone if they don't feel threatened until autumn approaches. At that time of year, they become extremely agressive and will attack about anything moving.

-- posted by Marge_Talt

Top 12. Jul 7, 2001 9:54 AM

» Minnie - Re: Re: About Yellowjackets

In response to message posted by Marge_Talt:

Hi Marge,

Wow! You really had a scary experience! I wouldn't go purposely looking for a nest either.

Thanks for getting me an answer so quickly. I was really fortunate that I didn't get stung because I picked up the container with the hive in it. Fortunately I knew to run and had a hat to swat at the persistent yellowjacket. They could have been wasps. I didn't take time to look and was really glad that they didn't follow me to the front of the house.

At the moment, I don't want to take a chance using the back door, but will get the wasp spray for tonight. I thought about wearing net over my head and clothes covering every inch of my body and then trying to move it, but wouldn't know where to put it where they wouldn't pester the neighbors.

Marge, thanks again for the great advice. I'm glad it's not autumn yet.

-- posted by Minnie