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Are Dees safe from hosp

13 years ago

While I've been sick with bronchitis this week. A pair of hosp destroyed newly laid eggs in my blue bird box. I've never had Hosp before but if I had known about the bb eggs in time a spooker would have been up

The hosp had laid an egg by the next day. The only thing I knew to do was to pull out all the nesting material and destroy the hosp egg (still have the nest) so at least they couldn't multiply. I don't have a trap.

Not more than 8 feet away from the bluebird box I have Dees approximately 8 days old in a Wren house with a 1 inch opening. I think the opening is too small for them to get in but they are fluttering around the opening showing some interest.

Are my dees safe?

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Comments (7)

dzyg
13 years ago
I don't think a HOSP can enter a one inch opening however they can get in a 1 1/4 inch opening. I would assume the Dees would be ok but can you put up a spooker on that nestbox? Sorry about your Blues nesting....a van ert is a must have for anyone offering nestboxes. They are cheap easy to install and he ships them asap!

Donna
kendra2003
13 years ago
I agree with everything Donna said. I would put up a sparrow spooker on that Dee box, just so the HOSP loose interest and don't torment the Dees. They can't get into a one inch hole, but they can still be a nuisance. The Van Ert traps are just a necessity if you offer housing to the Bluebirds. Like Donna said, they are easy to install and quite inexpensive. I can't imagine not having them. I am sorry about your Bluebird eggs. That is very sad.
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Tim, I am so sorry this has happened. This is the third incidence this season that I have heard of a HOSP going in a nestbox with a spooker attached. I have no clue what the other spookers look liked but what does yours look like? Does it have the dowels that come over the roof of the box with streamers hanging down touching the roof of the nestbox all the way from the back to the front of the nestbox? Do you have two dowels coming out over it or just one? That is the only thing I can think of is that the spooker wasn't as scary as it should be. However....HOSP seem to be really bad this year all over the US. I am having way more of them interested in nestboxes than usual this year and so are many others. I am worried about a pair of TRES right now that haven't started laying eggs yet. A HOSP pair is hanging around them...this is at a park where I have a small trail. I have trapped five down there this Spring already.
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bandjzmom
13 years ago
Agree with Donna and Kendra. Get the spooker up onto the Dees house. Nasty, hateful HOSP savages. I am sorry that they did that to your Blues. It really is a matter of constant vigilance and removal that keeps them in check. I get very nervous if I see one in my yard, and I set the Van Ert immediately.~Angie
ohsoblue77
13 years ago
Anything bigger than 1 in. HOSP can get through. So while they can't affect the nest, they have been known to harass dees.

I really recommend the Van Ert and as the others said, they're cheap, extremely easy to install, and very effective. I've posted a link to it below. However be advised that some HOSP (Esp. certain males)can take patience to successfully trap. Some go in right away and get trapped and you could have one like I had a few weeks ago that took 2 - 3 days because it wouldn't go in. Sometimes they will sit in trees or bushes near by and chirp their heads of until a female shows up, then he usually goes in at last and she will fly off and abandon the site.

A sparrow spooker is another must! They can be cheap to make or you can buy one from sparrowtraps.net. I use the commercial one and haven't had a single nest attacked with one in place. Although usually by this time in the season (April - May) I have trapped the majority that are interested and no others take claim, allowing native species to move in. Oh and don't forget Sialis.org! It has any other info you could possibly want.
-Tim-

Here is a link that might be useful: Van Ert In-Box Traps
renee1958
Original Author
13 years ago
Well the baby Dees successfully fledged today! And the Van Ert Trap came in the mail.. Just in time because something is building a nest in the bluebird box again. Don't know for sure what yet but if its Hosp I'm ready!
renee1958
Original Author
13 years ago
Male Hosp dead. Caught in Van Ert trap. Plastic bag and brick paver put to good use.
ohsoblue77
13 years ago
Nice job Renee!!! It's always a great feeling to know you've freed a nestbox from HOSP! And the annoying chirping of the male comes to a halt!

Be aware though, some HOSP take time to trap. Even with the Van Ert. I once had my trap in place 2 days in a row and finally caught the bugger! He was sitting in the trees behind the box and wouldn't go in.

Good luck from here!
-Tim-

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