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| Red-bellied Woodpecker |
Most woodpeckers have barbed-edged tips
on their tongues. Until now, it was thought this was for spearing a favorite
food – grubs. But researchers have shown that woodpeckers use their extremely
sticky saliva and the barbed tongue in combination to “grab” grubs and other morsels without
piercing the skin. (In north Texas we have Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied,
Red-headed, Pileated Woodpeckers, plus a few others)
Nematodes aren’t always “bad guys” Beneficial nematodes are exactly as the name implies; beneficial
to humans but the enemy of over 200 kinds of nasty things; insects with any
part of its life-cycle underground. That
includes fleas, cutworms, sod webworms, fungal gnats and white grubs. Plus, the
nematodes aren’t the least bit harmful to humans, pets or wildlife (including
birds)
For years we’ve used the beneficial nematodes at our home to
control fleas naturally where we have our dogs, and we’ve never had a problem
with either fleas or sick birds. We know for sure, and they’re easy to apply.
A “nematode” is actually a family of microscopic,
naturally-occurring worms, containing well over 1000 species. Some are good;
some are bad. Many stores sell the beneficial nematodes, along with domestic, insect-eating, bird-friendly ladybugs.
Owen Yost, in addition to blogging, is a Landscape
Architect emeritus from here, who‘s worked in north Texas for over 30
years. He is a member of the American
Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Society of Landscape
Architects, the National BirdFeeding Society, National Wildlife Federation and
the Audubon Society. He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award by the
Native Plant Society of Texas. His design office is at northwestern68@yahoo.com
