Definitely on the good bug list, these common red soldier beetles are happily multitasking, munching on the pollen and nectar from flowering parsley, while mating. Now that’s procreation! A quick background check comes up all good for these guys in … Read the rest
Yeah, these aren’t my buddies. This season, the first time for me, rabbits hopped out of the cute woodland creature category and into Pests & Disease. At least one or two are definitely creeping around the garden, so far not … Read the rest
This year, small snails everywhere! My best effort at identifying them (posting pics to the iNaturalist app on my phone) suggests they’re in the amber snail family (Succineidae). Wherever the ground is sheltered and moist, like under rocks or piles … Read the rest
Two lines of electric fence rope, one for deer, one for groundhogs, running through the so-very-healthy grass, perfectly illustrates the nature of the war on weeds. Maybe I should use less militaristic terms, but that’s what comes naturally—guess it’s my … Read the rest
Ahh, my favorite rodent. Another member of the around-the-field cast of characters. Charismatic, curious, always busy, quite friendly—what more could you ask from a wild woodland creature. Oh yeah, no threat to the market garden, at least, not in my … Read the rest
One of my annual garden companions. First met the American robin when I started veggie farming. I thought it was a sign. The bird was darting around the garden quite near me, darting a ways, then stopping, seeming to follow … Read the rest
A crow on a post. This is called an American crow, I believe, to be specific. I kinda, well, not envy them, exactly, but would like to try it out. The flying and casually perching on high for a look … Read the rest