Problems with earwigs and squirrels
My 5 year old twins and I just collected our first round of bee data a few days ago. Gladly, that went well.
However, yesterday, it appears as though the ground squirrels have mutilated our sunflowers! All blooms but one appear to have been ripped off and the petals scattered around the garden. Very sad. The one plant that we had collected the observation on had had 8 beautiful blooms. I am not sure what to do if we were to replant...are there some kinds of baskets or netting that would allow the bees access but not small squirrels or other rodents? They also seem to be nibbling on our pumpkins...
The other problem we have been having with the sunflowers and other plants in the garden are earwigs! They have wreaked havoc on our budlea/butterfly plants as well as a Meyer lemon tree and others. Not sure what to do as we do not want to poison the garden with snail/slug/earwig bait. Any ideas out there?
Thanks.
Dave
Los Altos, CA
squirrels
I remembered that squirrels do not like cayanne pepper - I've sprinkled it around my compost bin to keep them from chewing their way in. So last night I took a spray bottle of water and spritzed my sunflowers (still only 6-8 inches tall) then I sprinkled the leaves with the cayanne pepper. I will repeat this as needed. Hopefully it keeps the little buggers away until the seeds fall off the flowers for them. Every year I loose about half my sunflowers to them.
Nancy
Cincinnati, Ohio
reply
I found that earwigs are just as attracted to beer as are slugs. I collect quite a few, but there seems to be just as many waiting in the shadows.
tratament vergeturi
i have terrible earwigs, i
i have terrible earwigs, i have to peel my corn outside because their all in the husks. they don't seem to touch the peas and they didn't bother my corn as it was growing but all my other vegetables i had to replant which wasn't good because it was raining all the time this summer and we didn't get much sun. too much rain is probably the reason why i didn't see as many bees during the summer as i do now. i'm definately going to try the soy sauce thing for the earwigs.
Earwigs
As they feed off decaying matter, if your garden is too "clean" they will turn to your living plants. Right after spring cleanup I had so many they were coming into the house. If you know anyone with a chicken or two you could let loose around dawn they will be managable within an hour. I put out some bird baths to attract those who might like to eat some of my garden insects. Had my earwig population under control within a week! Good Luck!
squirrels problem
In fact, squirrels rip my sunflowers each year. They rip the buds before the flowers bloom. I feel very sad. Last week, there was one sunflower, who was about to bloom, was savagely torn. There was only a thin epiderm left on the middle of its stem. It seemed like the critters had been revenged on the sunflower.
These sunflowers are from the sunflower bird seeds. These critters make me sick by destroying all these beautiful flowers.
Luckily, the bees still have other flowers to feed.
Brigitte Peck Ki Laou
earwigs
Not poison, please! The newspaper is good and you can also get a used, clean can - small cat food size. A cottage cheese container also works. Poke 4 or 5 holes around it and put in a small amount (few drops to 1/2 tsp.) of soy sauce and then add any veg. oil so you have about 1/4th inch liquid in the can or more if you want. Make sure the holes are above the level of the liquid(!). Put the lid on and put in garden before evening. These critters are active at night. Something about the soy sauce attracts them, they crawl in, get all oily and can't get out. Check daily.
Gardennana - Master Gardener
earwigs in compost
Hi,
I have a lot of earwigs in my compost bin, I wasn't sure what to do, so I just move it to a corner of my backyard and leave it alone. Can I still use the compost next year or should I just get rid of the compost?
Thanks.
Jane
earwigs
I deal with them every year. The only way to kill them is with poison.
I remember there was a way
I remember there was a way to deal with earwigs. I forget it exactly but I think you take a newspaper and roll it up or something and place it where your earwig problem is. Something like that. Maybe it had to be in a shoe box. Well anyhow they eventually move into the newspaper folds and you can just remove them from the area, or deal with them as you like.