There are always a set of creatures who call one's garden and house their home. It is about co-existing with them. It is a stable habitat.
I don't want to be breeding an army of moths who ravage that habitat. They can be a proportionate part of it, but not an infestation that dominates the whole of it.
I think you need to get hold of some appropriate reading material about how nature works - in the real world. Things eat other things. Ad infinitum. We can 'create' little habitats to help all sorts of wildlife, but we can't control what comes into the garden, even though we might like to try it, and might think we're doing something wonderful. For example, we wouldn't have to cull red deer to the extent that we do, if we hadn't eradicated all their natural predators in the past. If we hadn't brought in the invasive grey squirrel, we wouldn't have the problems for reds that now exist - and are getting worse. For the sake of clarity- by 'we' I mean humans.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
What a garden! Invasions, starvation, bullying, death, home and away sides attacking eath other and ravaging after sundown! I'm waiting on Bilbo Baggins making an appearance!
I am not culling anything. I am protecting a set of patches of honey for the "home" habitat that has long been there from a new infestation of an invading colony ravaging out habitat.
Don't put down my knowledge. I am getting information, and all the food and housing boxes etc, from the right sources - the RHS, the BBC, the National Trust, and equivalent US and European sources.
No one said you were culling anything. I presume you're referring to my example of how nature works in the real world. Having information from any good source is one thing, but seeing how that then works in a wider way, and the effect of it all, is quite different.
Cherry picking comments, and taking them out of context, isn't an 'argument' either, but it seems to be something you like doing. Again, I'll just leave you to your 'contemplations'.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My garden is a real world habitat, but not in the wild world. Just like a garden is a real world thing without being a wild forest or jungle. I know how it is in the real world.
What is this "invading colony" that you are talking about, is it the Hummingbird Hawk Moths? They are beautiful moths, we have them all the time in our garden, they are beautiful to watch and in no way take all the nectar from the bees. As @Fire said flowers reload with nectar and the moths will return to the same plant time and again often at the same time each day........clever eh?
Bees and butterflies have deserted my flower patches that they used to buzz all day in since the moths took over. My Bumbles and honey bees fly over as has been their routine for months, and they try a dozen flowers, only to find them all emptied out. They fly away hungry. It is the saddest thing.
I will cover and protect 1 - 3 Salvia patches for them and leave the others for the moths to ravage at night.
The mesh nets are due to arrive today. I hope to see my bees there again in a couple of weeks, if it is not too late for this season.
There is a way to feed moths by hanging ropes dipped in sugar water and a bit of red wine that I have seen. I might do that later when I have some time.
Posts
There are always a set of creatures who call one's garden and house their home. It is about co-existing with them. It is a stable habitat.
I don't want to be breeding an army of moths who ravage that habitat.
They can be a proportionate part of it, but not an infestation that dominates the whole of it.
Things eat other things. Ad infinitum. We can 'create' little habitats to help all sorts of wildlife, but we can't control what comes into the garden, even though we might like to try it, and might think we're doing something wonderful.
For example, we wouldn't have to cull red deer to the extent that we do, if we hadn't eradicated all their natural predators in the past. If we hadn't brought in the invasive grey squirrel, we wouldn't have the problems for reds that now exist - and are getting worse.
For the sake of clarity- by 'we' I mean humans.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Invasions, starvation, bullying, death, home and away sides attacking eath other and ravaging after sundown!
I'm waiting on Bilbo Baggins making an appearance!
Don't put down my knowledge. I am getting information, and all the food and housing boxes etc, from the right sources - the RHS, the BBC, the National Trust, and equivalent US and European sources.
Cherry picking comments, and taking them out of context, isn't an 'argument' either, but it seems to be something you like doing.
Again, I'll just leave you to your 'contemplations'.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I know how it is in the real world.
They are beautiful moths, we have them all the time in our garden, they are beautiful to watch and in no way take all the nectar from the bees. As @Fire said flowers reload with nectar and the moths will return to the same plant time and again often at the same time each day........clever eh?
I will cover and protect 1 - 3 Salvia patches for them and leave the others for the moths to ravage at night.
The mesh nets are due to arrive today. I hope to see my bees there again in a couple of weeks, if it is not too late for this season.