Another before-and-after post for you this week. This, of course, is a caterpillar, the larva of a painted lady butterfly. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of Lila’s favourite books, so my mom thought she’d enjoy seeing the transformation process up close. Like in a box on the mantle. A few days after my mom […]
Critters and wildlife
Bring on the birds
I love this time of year in the garden, when I don’t do much more than look out at it from the shelter of our cozy home. Birds definitely are the primary users of our garden during the winter; every morning there are at least a dozen hopping around the patio, examining the husks of […]
Vancouver City Council votes on chickens
Quick! If you live in Vancouver (hey, neighbour!) drop a note to City Council and let them know you support the amendment of the animal control bylaw to allow Vancouverites to keep chickens. There are so many great reasons to allow chickens in urban settings. Council is debating this issue tomorrow night (March 3) has […]
European chafer beetle control
Metro Vancouver has a European Chafer beetle problem. Actually, the beetles themselves aren’t too troublesome, but their grubs, which feed on the roots of turf grass, are wreaking havoc. As an introduced pest, the beetle has few natural competitors to control it. That’s where the urban wildlife steps in. Raccoons, skunks and crows enjoy tearing […]
This proves it. Chickens are hot.
It’s a classic design school project: redesign an everyday object (the stapler and the chair are popular picks.) Maxime Evrard, a student at the Ecole de Design Nantes, chose to redesign the chicken coop. You thought the Eglu was cool? Maxime’s Cocorico looks like a spaceship. With a tent attached. Would this be a good […]
Mealybugs making a meal of my mint
Mint is supposed to be one of those indestructible plants. Google “growing mint” and you’re met with cheers (or jeers, as the case may be) such as “a cinch to grow!”, “perfect for beginners” and “so strong it can be invasive.” So why does mine look like it’s on its deathbed? Its bottom leaves are […]
Ladybugs love aphids: using beneficial bugs to wipe out the bad
Ladybugs: keep refrigerated. I have these euphorbias (E. amygdaloides) in my front garden bed that get crippled by aphids every spring. Despite their aphid problem, they’re quite lovely, which is why I’ve kept them this long. (I’m not sure what variety of euphorbia they are; they are the developer’s last remaining contribution of my garden.) […]
Welcome Lila
She kept us waiting, but when she decided to arrive, she really committed. When we first found out we were having a kid, she was the size of a lentil. From that point on, despite tracking her developmental size as it related to various fruits and vegetables such as eggplants, jicama, cantaloupes, pineapples etc., she […]