Blog Entry: November

Heyo,

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all enjoying a lovely holiday.

We had a relaxing day with the B family:

(Baby M was getting really tired at this point!)

What critter encounters to report? After the squirrels stole our tiny pumpkins last year, I decided to get a larger specimen as my sole outdoor decoration. Once more the squirrels destroyed my hopes and dreams:







It took me a few days to realize these "crumbs" on the floor were really wood chips left by a rodent invader:



(Yuck; never take macro photos of your dirty floorboards!)

He worked alone:


The above photo might not be in the true spirit of the Critter Corner. I felt badly after killing the mouse, but he did poop in my house and chew my floorboards.

Recent thoughts:

Lately I have been contemplating changes in my life. I don't fully recall my daily life while I was in college, or the year afterward which I spent in my hometown substitute teaching and waitressing. Things become clearer when I remember moving to MN for grad school, watching my friends move to the opposite sides of the country and finally meeting Robert. Now I consider how my shopping sprees have moved from the mall to the thrift store (mostly), and how our Friday nights consist of pizza and a NetFlix viewing. We see our friends a lot less often now.

It seems my life is more centered around my husband, dog and house now. Does this mean we should have a child?! Hmmm.

My other thought is less weighty in nature: Salon Guilt. Do you have a long standing relationship with your stylist? I did for a while but for the last year I've been going to the Aveda Institute for discounted services performed by students. While I feel confident about what I want for my hair, I dislike the conflict that arises every time they ask about my product usage. I prefer Suave shampoo, Nexxus Humectress conditioner and LA Looks hair gel.


$1.99!

No offense to all of y'all Aveda product users, but that stuff does NOT work for my dry, bleached, naturally curly hair. I don't like the fragrance and my hair felt and looked like straw yesterday two hours after I left the Institute. I just dislike hearing that my cheap products are hurting my hair. Finally I realized I could just lie to the stylist and tell them I use Aveda so and so shampoo/conditioner and hair gel. My choices were confirmed today when I washed using my makeshift system and my hair looks and feels great; soft and shiny, with a defined curl.

To summarize, I guess I feel guilty about not buying the suggested products stylists recommend. Also I hate how you go to one salon and the stylist sniffs, "Did they put you under the dryer at your old salon?", or, "They used a razor to cut YOUR hair?" There's a lot of disapproval at salons.

Hugs and winter critters!
Wendell

Critters currently destroying my belongings.

Hi, Critter Lovers!

I hope this post finds you all enjoying the first warm breezes of spring!



Unfortunately, with warmer weather comes the renewal of horrifying insects:

This 'pede was above my kitchen sink on Saturday morning. Thankfully it was only 1/4 inch long.

Before we discuss critter destruction, I'd like to show off our "new" couch!


Stella did not mind the old couch, which was perched on duct-taped-together phone books, even if it was getting holey.


The first incidence of critter warfare was a bug attack on two of my houseplants. But was a dual attack; two different plants, two different locations, and two different bugs!

My dear Mama bought me a lovely ivy when she visited in November:


Unfortunately the plant has been fading all winter. I should have taken action sooner, for I noticed tiny spider webs covering the plant.


Upon further research, I've discovered the culprit: Two Spotted Spider mites, or Tetrahychus urticae. These tiny spiders have been sucking the chlorophyll out of the formerly lovely ivy, causing it to wither and drop leaves!

(Actual size, .05 mm)

The female spiders have been laying up to 20 eggs a day underneath the leaves. To remedy the situation, I've sprayed the plant with bug spray, but I think a more effective treatment would be to wash the plant with a special soap. The dry and warm climate of my house contributed to the spiders' success. Maybe I should try misting it, or I could just throw it away, as it could be spreading spider mites to other plants.

The next attacker struck my music studio. I'm so thankful to have windows for the first time, so I went ahead and bought some plants to decorate the space.

(Note the cool fountain made by my Father-in-law and the thrift store painting!)

Why, what are these white fuzzy bugs on my plant?


Could it be...a Mealy Bug? Pseudococcus longispinus is covered with a white, waxy coating that protects it from moisture loss. These guys love hiding in the nooks and crooks of plants, as well as in soil and pot crevices. Using a pointy mouthpart called a stylet, mealy bugs suck the moisture out of plants. Their toxic saliva harms the leaves, causing them to drop. Meanwhile, they excrete a sticky substance called "honeydew" which can encourage mold growth.

In the following photo you can see the mealy bug's long tails.


Apparently the long tailed species gives birth to live young! Even better.

To control this infestation I've been manually removing the fuzzy bugs.

The final destruction of my property is on a much larger scale:


Oh! Perhaps the gnawing sound I heard upstairs was only a squirrel, EATING OUR HOUSE!



Thankfully, R fixed the fascia with some wire mesh and that foam stuff.


The squirrels have further "trimmed" the foam since I took the photograph. I would think the squirrels would be thankful for all of the birdseed I've provided over the harsh, cold winter. Ungrateful bastards!

I'm looking forward to hearing of your Spring critter encounters!

love,
Wendell!

Holidazzle

Howdy y'all!

I hope you all had a good holiday and are getting excited for New Year's Eve. In the last few years my enthusiasm for this holiday has waned, although this year we are invited to an early evening event. Last year I think R was sick.

We returned on Saturday from our trip to WI:


(The rest of the photos can be seen on the Flickr screen to the right)---->.

As for critters, I've got a few ideas for future posts. But for now, it's all about the squirrels. First, they destroyed my suet feeder. It started slowly. The squirrel broke the hanging part first, so I had to ghetto-rig the roof back on with a wire. Then the rodents stole the whole wire cage thing!



Needless to say, the suet cake was gone.

Upon returning to Minneapolis, the squirrels broke the "squirrel-proof" panel off of our bird feeder:




But I put it back on.

The squirrels also attempted to bite through our screen to get to one of R's frozen lasagna portions!


That is my critter report; pretty weak! Uh, we did see some wild turkeys on our road trip!


More soon!
Wendell

Further Squirrel Mysteries

Hello, all!

Today marks the first real snow in Minneapolis!

Upon buying our house, we discovered the previous owner had left a bird feeder behind. When I suggested to R that we fill it with birdseed, he expressed fear that squirrels would overtake our yard and infiltrate the attic, or something. I reminded him that our yard is surrounded by oak trees and that his point might have been moot.

After hanging the bird feeder on our single clothesline pole, I wondered if the metal post made it a squirrel-proof feeder. But the birdseed is almost gone after I filled it less than a week ago, and also:







Quite a healthy beast, no? I wonder if he stole my mini-pumpkins. Well, maybe the wildlife needed them more than I did.

I'm excited to see how they jump up on the bird feeder; if the corroded pole is rough enough to climb, or if they leap from the nearby bush or tree.

Finally, we have the opportunity to get a free pit bull puppy in the next few weeks. My Mom is horrified by the idea. Any reader input?

The Gopher State

Hello, everyone!

As I mentioned last week, things have been busy here. Sis K and I had such a good visit; hanging out with her was one of the highlights of my year!



In house buying news, we close on our new place Oct. 21st! I am realizing that every item in our apartment will have to be moved. By us. It will be a good opportunity to get rid of crapola, right? Plus, all the yucky stuff can be hidden in our future basement, two-car garage or shed.



In World Critter News:

Hawaii lists 48 species as endangered!

Save the wolverines!

A giant dinosaur that breathed like a bird?

An ancient goose with teeth? I wonder if the geese I saw today wished they had teeth? Maybe their poop is weapon enough.

After seeing a gopher this summer, I knew I needed to write about them here. Not only am I running out of rodents to profile, but also, I've lived in the Gopher State for over eight years!

The problem is that Goldy Gopher is really modeled after a thirteen-lined ground squirrel, not a true gopher!

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel:


Goldy:

(Actually, Goldy's tail looks more like a chipmunk tail to me, but anyway....)

In general, the ground squirrels described below share many characteristics. They are diurnal, or active during the day. They range from four to twelve inches long. Ground squirrels form tunnel communities and call to each other with high pitched squeaks. While their main foods are roots, plants and grains, the squirrels will eat the occasional bug, egg or baby bird. Frequency and time of mating depends on the climate, but most ground squirrels have at least one litter per year, and are sexually mature after their first year.



A member of the squirrel family Sciuridae, thirteen-lined ground squirrels are related to chipmunks and tree squirrels. They dig tunnels ranging from 15 to 20 feet long, in a territory up to three acres in size. As summer progresses, these ground squirrels gain as much fat as possible and dig deeper hibernation chambers in their tunnels. As early as October, Squinneys (as they're known in Iowa!), start hibernating. Their respirations decrease from an average between 100 to 200 breaths per minute to only one breath per five minutes!

Other Minnesota ground squirrels include Franklin's ground squirrel, named after the British Arctic Explorer Sir John Franklin, and Richardson's ground squirrel, named after the Scottish naturalist Sir John Richardson.

Franklin's ground squirrel:

These animals resemble tree squirrels, but live more like prairie dogs in similar open habitats. They are much more omnivorous than other ground squirrels, consuming eggs, baby birds, insects and rodents along with plant matter.

Richardson's ground squirrel:

These guys are known as flickertails, as they wiggle said item constantly! Richardson's ground squirrel is the state animal of North Dakota, also known as the Flickertail State? Apparently Richardson's squirrels were too plentiful in Saskatchewan, so the province had a controversial open season for them in 2002 and 2003.

Now, let's turn to an actual gopher! Part of the family Geomyidae, or true gophers, pocket gophers are much bigger than ground squirrels.



Look at those digging paws! In one year a pocket gopher can dig 300 mounds and move four tons of soil. As you can maybe guess, they are mostly underground dudes, and therefore have poor eyesight. Dandelion and alfalfa roots are their favorite meal, and they prefer moist soil, which can bring them closer to crops and yards.

Side Note: Does anyone else think of junior high typing class when they see the word "alfalfa"? I'm just wondering.

These fatties can weigh up to two pounds, with the males being twice as large as the female. They are larder hoarders, meaning they store food in their cheek pockets and carry it to holding rooms within their tunnels. The cheek pockets, which give these rodents their name, are huge, reaching from the sides of their mouth all the way back to their shoulders!

While ground squirrels leave mostly small holes as signs of their tunnels, pocket gophers announce their presence with large, fan shaped piles of dirt reaching up to eight inches high!

Unlike ground squirrels, who share tunnels, pocket gophers are usually alone in their tunnels, with the exception of mating season and when babies are born. During mating season, male pocket gophers dig tunnels hoping to intersect with a female's chamber!



Pocket gophers are active year round, and keep tunneling beneath the snow! If you ever see something resembling this after the snow melts:

You know a pocket gopher is in your 'hood!

I must say, I was really excited about this gopher post, until I realized the only one of these critters I've ever seen is Goldy, and the thirteen-lined ground squirrel he was designed to resemble! Have any of you seen any of the other ground squirrels or pocket gophers?

Do you have any autumn critter stories?

Tunnel of love,
Wendell!

Minnesota State Fair/Bratfest/Critters of the Motherland

Happy September!

I hope you all had a spectacular weekend. Shout-outs to everyone who has their first day of school tomorrow, especially PG, who starts her doctorate at the U!

R and I had a marathon of fun adventures, starting with our annual pilgrimage to the MN State Fair on Thursday night.

Every year there is a featured weird food at the State Fair, including such things as Hot-Dish on a Stick, Deep Fried Candy Bars, Pizza on a Stick, etc. This year it was Chocolate Covered Bacon. Heck yes we tried it:

As one could expect with a combination of two perfect foods, Chocolate Covered Bacon was delicious. The salty/chocolaty quality reminded me of dipping a french fry into a chocolate shake, except with a smokiness that was a little weird. These so-called "Pig Lickers" were pretty rich, though.

The animal barns were being cleaned last Thursday, and unfortunately we couldn't see any miniature goats as they were all being replaced. We did attend the "Miracle of Birth" barn, however.


Can you see an umbilical cord hanging down from one of the baby pigs? They were so tiny.

These two larger piglets appear to be snuggling, but in reality they were biting each other.

Lambkins:



The baby calf.

These ducklings had their own swimming pools!


On Friday we traveled to my hometown in Central Wisconsin. As usual we were pampered and fed heartily. R and I spent every evening at my sister L's and her boyfriend CC's rural estate. L and I went on a wildlife search AND ONE OF MY CRITTER GOALS WAS FINALLY REALIZED.

Ladies and Gentlemen: The salamander.


Unlike the tiger salamanders we found in the sandy basement of my aunt's house, this one was all black. Here is a tiger salamander:



Here he is in his hole, under a board leaning up against CC's garage.

How we loved this gentle creature! But, I'm having trouble identifying this salamander. Could it be a blue-spotted salamander, a native of Wisconsin?

I think we would have noticed the spots, even though our salamander was covered with sand.

Or it could have been another WI salamander, the spotted variety.


We also saw one of these guys:

A gray tree frog.

And possibly a frog that is endangered in Wisconsin, a Blanchard's Cricket Frog:

We didn't have our camera last night when I spotted this guy on the outside of the garage window. He was green with distinctive copper eyes and a matching copper stripe along the side of his head. Adorbs!

Arachnids were present as well:
There were tons of daddy long legs everywhere!

I also spotted one of these guys:

Unfortunately she was just zooming through the treetops, not up close!

Close to my hometown is the largest one day festival in Wisconsin, the Harrisville Bratfest!
R had never attended this venerable event, so we hastened there, seeking brats and adventure!


The brat and R's commemorative bottle coozy! Notice as well his new camouflage hat.

L and CC in action!



For some reason I do not recall watching a tractor pull before.

Side Note: The tractor pull track is directly adjacent to the Lion's Club where R and I had our wedding reception!

Trucks pulled too:

The plume of smoke was very dramatic! And carcinogenic!

I highly recommend attending the Bratfest. Although tickets to the tractor pull were $10 (kids get in free) the menu is quite reasonable:


Hope you had a great weekend too!

Lovies,
Wendell!