"Yard is very fond of that tree/shrub treatment; many of us are not." It's a curious "take"... what you're calling a "treatment". Is it any different than what people do to the plants they call "trees"? I think it is not. What strikes me as odd is the idea that trees above a certain size are acceptable ... but trees below a certain size are not. To my thinking, almost all sizes of trees are acceptable for some purpose and I can't see a reason to be against the smaller trees--so useful in so many places--any more than being against little people. I mean ... why? Also, having experienced the forum for a while now, I can see that quite a number of people might line up being for or against this or that, but what's popular among some doesn't necessarily have a relationship to a subject's value. Also, no one can know what the tally is. Either viewpoint on this could be in the minority. (But I've never waited for someone else to declare their preferences before deciding for myself if something is good or bad!) If valid, persuasive arguments are put forth against using small trees, then maybe I'll change my mind about them. Since I've been listening, no argument like that has been postulated. I've only heard, "I don't like them" which is an opinion, not a persuasive argument.

Ah, my curiosity is at last assuaged! Glad you could ID it. The link is interesting too. It doesn't seem to bode well that it is becoming a "dominant life form." I see them on porch and patio, though not in great numbers there. Landlady has a huge stand of oleander hedge. I may be misconstruing but I've seen the little milkweed bug in cozy association with the fallen dried-up blossoms. There must be something there it uses as food source, possibly a seed. Further searches yielded some more interesting sites: http://insected.arizona.edu/milkinfo.htm http://themarvelousinnature.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/tay-meadows-tidbit-small-milkweed-bug/ Again, thank you.

I seldom visit this forum as I do not raise worms in captivity but have 'raised' them in my garden for many years since I read how beneficial castings are and the amazing quantity of castings worms produce. Whatever I do in my mostly organic garden is to benefit or at least not harm the earthworms as they provide the main source of 'fertilizer'. I do compost in a pile but at certain times of the year I dig in my kitchen scraps between the plants. I call this 'feeding the worms'. It's amazing how quickly that 'worm food' disappears except for certain items that don't decompose quickly. When I began gardening here 16 years ago in the middle of a coniferous forest there were no earthworms at all in the hard clay soil. As I improved the soil, brought in plants from friends' gardens, and with the addition of DH's extra fishing worms the population increased. Every time I move a perennial there are many worms and last year there were many dozens of robins feasting in my garden. More than I've ever before seen which I take as a sign there are a lot of worms. Some things I occasionally use that I believe are beneficial to worms are fresh organic grass clippings as mulch and alfalfa tea as fertilizer. I also keep a shredded bark mulch on the soil which provides a healthier environment for the worms and plants. What I'm fairly certain are not beneficial to them are synthetic chemicals so I seldom use these. In my cold climate I can make 2 batches of compost a year altho it's not completely finished so I use it as mulch and the worms take care of it. I know all the vermicomposters here are aware of the benefits of worm castings but there is a link below for anyone who is not aware of this. You really cannot buy any other fertilizer that has these benefits and it doesn't cost much (really only a bit of time and effort) to encourage the worms to propagate in the garden soil. For me it's much easier than raising them in a bin and certainly cheaper than buying worm castings. Of course if you can utilize both systems it's even better. Here is a link that might be useful: benefits of worm castings

Wonderful photos. The photography on this forum has played no small part in inspiring interest in birding for me. I noticed you call St Louis home. We so enjoyed our time there last summer while watching the Cardinals,visiting the zoo and art museum and the rest of Forest Park. Mobot, Pappys Smokehouse and Delmar Blvd, It was great fun.