A neighbour found a cat drowned in her water butt. No gory detail but suffice to say it had probably been in there sometime...
She posted a message on our village "Jungle Drums" in case anybody had been missing their pet but nobody came forward. We assume it was a stray or one of the farm cats which got up to have a drink and fell in
Moral of that story (& probably the ones above) is to keep a lid on the butt so animals can't get to the water.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Agree.. keep them covered, you don't know exactly what else they could be drinking. Rain water is always more attractive to pets than the harder tap water. I wouldn't have an animal near an uncovered water butt.
Wonky's Papa Womble had to be rescued from a full to the brim uncovered water butt when he was four years old. He'd gone in head first and fortunately a neighbour saw what was happening and grabbed his ankles just in time!
Always cover your water butt securely!!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Palustris said:There are ways of killing the larva, WD40 sprayed on the top, or a little cooking oil, nough to cover the surface, will do the trick. they have to come to the surface to breathe and the oil stops them.
To add to Pals and fidgs remedies: I add just the tiniest amount of washing up liquid to the surface, just a finger-tip's worth. Soap would do. Watch it spread out. Mosquito larvae, the most likely culprit, need a strong surface tension to stay at the surface and breath.
I use the water butt to top up my pond, inter alia. Detergent in samll quantities has no impact on fish and other pond life. Mind you, I bet it upsets the pond skaters.
Sod the cat/puppy, you don't want to have a breeding spot for mozzies.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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A neighbour found a cat drowned in her water butt. No gory detail but suffice to say it had probably been in there sometime...
She posted a message on our village "Jungle Drums" in case anybody had been missing their pet but nobody came forward. We assume it was a stray or one of the farm cats which got up to have a drink and fell in
Moral of that story (& probably the ones above) is to keep a lid on the butt so animals can't get to the water.
Agree.. keep them covered, you don't know exactly what else they could be drinking. Rain water is always more attractive to pets than the harder tap water. I wouldn't have an animal near an uncovered water butt.
Last edited: 10 March 2017 18:38:34
I find myself wondering what harm might be done to an animal drinking water with mosquito (or any other) larvae in it.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Wonky's Papa Womble had to be rescued from a full to the brim uncovered water butt when he was four years old. He'd gone in head first and fortunately a neighbour saw what was happening and grabbed his ankles just in time!
Always cover your water butt securely!!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I always try to - especially in public....
I have Cream Beauty - is that the ones you mean?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I use the water butt to top up my pond, inter alia. Detergent in samll quantities has no impact on fish and other pond life. Mind you, I bet it upsets the pond skaters.
Sod the cat/puppy, you don't want to have a breeding spot for mozzies.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."