Mary, great picture!!! I really like the gold better than the red...it doesn't seem to get as infested with aphids here! I currently have a ton of both colors of tropical milkweed just waiting for the migration! I hope the predators move on out before they arrive in numbers! I have a plant of what the Texas Discovery Gardens sold as Swan Flower... not sure if it is the same as A.physocarpa but this is the second year to grow it with no flowers! The queens have ignored it as well as the swamp milkweed I have planted. No flowers on it either! The foliage is tall & green but I haven't seen any interest in it by monarchs, queens or even any predators on it as well! I also have some common & some showy out in my BF bed that is in full sun that looks totally bedraggled because of the sun & heat! I think I will cut it back to see if it will put out some new growth for fall...the leaves are all yellowed & dry!!! I didn't realize that showy & common both put out runners & small plants are coming up all over the large bed! I don't mind but it is really invasive! I had dug up some A.viridis last year & planted it out in another bed that is covered with Cowpen Daisies that I occasionally water & there is new growth & one plant has a large flower on it! I have been trying to wash all the plants to keep the aphids down & squishing any Milkweed bugs I see! I have gotten a ton of both Yellow & Red Tropical seeds if anyone wants some as well as seeds for A.asperula & viridis from earlier this summer!!!???

Hi Tim! Congratulations!! How exciting it is to host Bluebirds. Never know how soon she will begin to lay after the nest is completed. I wouldn't think it would be too long though. Like the others said, keep a watch on the nest. Once the first egg is laid, she should lay one egg each morning until she is done laying. 4-6 eggs is usual. Once the last egg is laid, incubation usually begins. She will incubate for about 12-14 days, and then you will have hatchlings! Then, if all goes well, in about 14 days, they will fledge from the box.~~Angie

Sounds like you really have some challenges. You have my sympathies! A tiny poked hole is more likely a house wren's thin sharp beak, sometimes taking them some distance away, or simply tossing them out. The house sparrow will toss the eggs out, but their finch-like beak would not as likely make a tiny poke hole. And the HOSP is more likely to stick around, harass, or even take over the cavity. "Do BB's destroy their own eggs" ... No "the nest possibly could have been flooded?" ... are there leaks that could be fixed? "Are the HOSP really sneaky" ... yes, but HOWR are sneakier ... "and resistant to the Sparrow Spooker?" ... yes, and house wrens will not be deterred by a sparrow spooker. House Wrens are even sneakier, faster and silent, leaving no evidence behind, only destroying eggs or young. You might hear them singing, but might never, ever see them! There are some links to sound files of house wren song and chatter on Bet's web pages, so you can learn to hear the unwelcome sounds of house wrens. Visit Bet's web page for more info. And by the way, the Carolina Wren is a very different bird, welcome almost anywhere; not a threat to other birds. BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/index.html

Well that darned HOSP showed up again this morning but he got away before I could get the 22 out. There is a 2nd egg and I have put the spooker up. So far she has not entered the box but is perching near it and going to look in. The male looked in once but he did not go in either. I will leave it up and hope she accepts it sometime today. I have not seen the HOSP looking at any other boxes nor does he sing like he is bonding to the box....he really looks more to be just "curious". I am hoping he will become "curious" about another box where I can get a good shot, hopefully soon, I have TRES getting ready to build too. The Blues have found the meal worms and were defending the feeder from of all things Cardinals!!!!!