Garden nasties

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

Garden railroading in the UK is a pretty painless business really, the odd nettle sting, and angry wasp or bee, a mozzie bite, spiders - forget 'em, snakes - seen 2 in my whole life.
How about you guys scattered around the world? Do funnel webs lurk in your favourite coach? Do rattlers inhabit the tunnels? Do ants eat everything except the roadbed? Do you have to be careful when you're out there?
I suspect that there are some amusing stories out there about encounters with the poisonous kind, let's here 'em mates.

Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

PS: I have read that there are some mildly poisonous spiders in the south of England now, due to climate change. That's all me southern mates with swollen fingers.[;)]

[Anonymous]

kimbrit
thats why i do indoor RR no nasties!
have a friend that retired to northern florida with 250 acres. improved land but his outdoor railroad is delayed snakes every were poisonous snakes. [:O]
he put a 24x50 metal building near the house for the train room ac has to carry a 44 mag. and just put siding to the ground to keep the snakes from breeding under the train building living in the country is dangerous for outdoor RR.
outdoor RR aint for me here in fla and the only good snake is a dead snake.
sorry to those snake keepers out there.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm at first neighbors came to mind, but I get along well with mine [:)]
Lawn maintanance people came to mind next, but we won't go into the issues over sub-human people that need torturing and deportment [}:)][:p] Critters, that's what your looking for [;)] Yep, have had a few moles that were dispatched, but the far worse horror is Fire ants. These little six legged nasties WILL put a hurting on you if a few or alot of them get to dining on you flesh [:O][B)] Curious how bitys that small can cause sooooo much pain. Yep been there suffered that [:(][V][xx(]

[Anonymous]

rocky
have you been bitten by Florida's red bull ant yet they will put you on your knees.
these critters are Bad!

[Anonymous]

My cat takes care of all of the pests, mice, voles ( small moles) etc. The only snakes I've seen are Garter snakes and since they eat other pest I leave them be, they will move on when food gets scarce. Same goes for spiders, don't really like'em but they eat flys and bees and such so I leave them be as well.

[vsmith]

I'm indoors in the garage but I get more cob-spiders than I know what to do with. At least they keep most everything else out, insect wise. Ants are a HUGE problem here, black ants go after any fod left out, at least its not the nasty fire variety although they arrived in SoCal a couple of years ago. Plus the occasional hornet keeps things lively.

[Gary Crawley]

Kim
In Canberra we don't have Funnel Web's but we do have lots of Red Backs, (nastie) they love rocks, tunnels etc. so we have to be very carefull.
They have known to be deadly but fortunately we now have a anti-venom.
Ants also contribute to my grief, their engineering is amazing, they resent my building anthing close to their domain.
But the bigest danger is the "CAT", she is a feline terrorist.
All the best
Gary

[whiterab]

The most common nasties we deal with on a daily basis are scorpians. However, the ones we have are small and their bite isn't as bad as a fire ant bite. Luckily we haven't had any fire ants - yet.

If you move a rock with out looking first, you can figure on getting stung. I've gotten use to them.

I worry less about the nasty scorpians then I do about the "aggravating" critters such as deer and armadillos. I rather be bit then have to put up with endless replantings and filling holes [:(]

[Anonymous]

Especially if the armadillo turn a tunnel into his/her home.[:D]

[Anonymous]

There will be no tunnel on the N&MRR due to rattle snakes (don't tread on me!). Leaf-cutter ants are an unwanted immigrant group that come from my neighbor's yard.

Vic, be ware of the dreaded "blackwidow" and "brown recluse," they some times make indoors and might make their way into Borracho Springs.

Dogs have had free reign in some parts what will become the layout, but I've bought some nurf dart guns and some 4th of July Fireworks. All humane practices, but necessary.

I've seen no moles nor any of the like.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rocky_goat

Lawn maintanance people came to mind next, but we won't go into the issues over sub-human people that need torturing and deportment [}:)][:p]

You went there Rocky [:D]
Sacred Earth Landscping is a different type of landscping company! We use and try all natures way of ridding your place of such critters.

Here is what we use and this name is the ingrediants "Diatomaceous Earth" or to us it is known as "DE"
There are many products out there that have it in them just ask for it.

In the US it is EPA approved and registered for use against indoor and outdoor crawling insects, including cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, fleas, boxelder bugs, carpet beetles, centipedes, crickets, earwigs, grasshoppers, ticks, millipedes, scorpions, slugs, and silverfish. For use in Cracks, Crevices, Hiding and Running Areas, Under and Behind Appliances, and Wall and Floor Surfaces. For use in and around homes, office buildings, restaurants, motels, warehouses, theaters, schools, hotels, and food handling establishments.

DE is odorless and nontoxic.

DE is composed of finely milled fossilized shells of minuscule organisms called diatoms. The microscopically fine, sharp edges desiccate the insects' exoskeleton upon contact and the pests dehydrate and die within hours. The insects also die when they eat the dust.

[Anonymous]

Many folks consider the Tree Rats here in Aloha Oregon a big issue. However, comparitively speaking, they are quite territorial and constantly yell at the racoons. A few burried nuts and strange garden growth (from burried nuts and seeds) is far better than a gaggle of coons. Yup, spiders are quite common here as well. No ants to speak of. I have to hang hornet traps all over the place though.

[Anonymous]

BB71, whats the best thing out there for fleas, is it the stuff above?Every year I fight the little BAS@#$* like the plague.[:(!]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by carpenter matt

BB71, whats the best thing out there for fleas, is it the stuff above?Every year I fight the little BAS@#$* like the plague.[:(!]

Ok,
Question 1 is/are they in house?
Question 2 is/are they in yard?
Question 3 is does the next door neighbors have cats and dogs?
Question 4 can your cat or dog come in contact with other animals wild or tame?

Treat house several times with DE in every place more than once because of the life cycle of the flea starts as eggs then, larvae, then pupae, then adult flea.
The eggs are laid on the pet and most drop off where pets spend most of their time. Pet bedding, floor crevices, carpeting, along baseboards and areas near their favorite sleeping and napping sites are especially likely places where eggs will be found.

These eggs hatch into legless larvae. The larvae spin a cocoon and, depending on environmental conditions, emerge as adults in as few as five days. The adult fleas then mate (after a blood meal from your pet) and then lay eggs. The life cycle is then repeated--until control measures break the cycle.

The total life cycle can last from 25 days to several months. Unhatched flea eggs have even been frozen with liquid nitrogen and brought back to life !

Screening of foundation vents and other access areas to keep mice, rats, squirrels and other flea carrying wild animals out.

DE application to carpeted areas and furniture and outdoor lawn or grassy areas, paying close attention to areas frequented by pets. Under decks, shrubs, trees and doghouses are favorite flea breeding areas.

Treat the dog or car in bath of Tea Tree Shampoo in bath tub. You will be shocked at the amount of fleas on the dog or cat that come off dead with just Tea Tree Shampoo!

Again the key is control DE is some great stuff and I have had my cats well, one is 13 yrs old and other is 2 yrs old with no tick or flea problems.
Unless your my Uncle and brings his mutt over for a bath and the fleas are just so thick I can not believe it that is when I use the Tea Tree Shampoo on her.
Watch the face cause they run to it like a safe house.

You can buy DE in large lbs bags and do your whole lawn, your buddies fence, etc...

Go get them [}:)][}:)][}:)]

[Anonymous]

DE works wonders for bed bugs and other tropical pests as well. Glad I don't live in a tropical zone...just close.

[Anonymous]

As I told you on the landline William, I was talking about those "across the border" folks, legal or illegal that refuse to speak Engli***hat ignore you when you try to communicate with them, then they walk all over your track wrecking it [:(!][}:)][V]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rocky_goat

As I told you on the landline William, I was talking about those "across the border" folks, legal or illegal that refuse to speak Engli***hat ignore you when you try to communicate with them, then they walk all over your track wrecking it [:(!][}:)][V]

Just say this "¡Voy a conseguir mi arma!"
I think that is correct, meaning "I am going to get my gun!" [:D][}:)][:D]

[Anonymous]

Este problema de personas que andan por su yarda es una travestia de justicia! (This problem you have of persons walking thru your yard constitutes a travesty of justice!)

Rocky_goat, where abouts are you at that you have this problem? The only unwanted immigrants I have in my yard are leaf-cutter ants. You need to teach these people to respect your property rights...saddly, my problems are with native neighborhood vandals!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Carrales

Este problema de personas que andan por su yarda es una travestia de justicia! (This problem you have of persons walking thru your yard constitutes a travesty of justice!)

Rocky_goat, where abouts are you at that you have this problem? The only unwanted immigrants I have in my yard are leaf-cutter ants. You need to teach these people to respect your property rights...saddly, my problems are with native neighborhood vandals!

Hey just make a sign with that on it Rock.
Just thought of something are they cuban or spanish? Well make 2 signs. [:D]

[Anonymous]

I thought the hurricane blew them all away, ROcky.

[Anonymous]

Vee haf no problmes with nasties now, vee haf our vays.

Hans from the Gestapo

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

Vee haf no problmes with nasties now, vee haf our vays.

Hans from the Gestapo

Mein Gott en Himmel, Ian. Sonderbehandlung, eh!? Was is los?

Hauptmann Van Carrales

[Anonymous]

I will say this only once.

Michell from the resistance

[Anonymous]

Hi iandor
I though those mozzies of yours where a bit of a problem I am sure I heard "do we eat them here or take them away for later[":D]
What have I got bloody great big ants don't know what type but they are 1" or so long
A perway inspecting dog dosen't damadge any thing
but ocasional patroles the line litteraly
and some times the odd snake when the mice are bad the neighbour has a bird aviery.
We also get the odd red back spider.
And huntsmen spiders these are reasoably harmless but being big and hairy can be a bit of a worry if they move sudenly and you did not know it was there
regards John

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

I will say this only once.

Michell from the resistance

As long as you don't start in on the Fallen Madonna with the Big[censored][:D]

[nalts]

No problem yet. guess that's because I have no track yet. I can guarentee that I will have problems with gophers. I have them in my yard, just not where my layout will be.

Anyone have a solution for those #$%#^ things?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nalts

No problem yet. guess that's because I have no track yet. I can guarentee that I will have problems with gophers. I have them in my yard, just not where my layout will be.

Anyone have a solution for those #$%#^ things?

I choose a simple and effective way, bomb the [censored] out of them but you might check this link http://www.american-lawns.com/problems/gopher.html [:D]