Yeah it does get tiresome having to deal with the millions of babies that return....*like a carpet* Like Karen, I haven't purposely planted out any seedlings since 2005 and 4 years later I'm still dealing with the seed bank. I have been allowing a manageable few to grow here and there since then also, but I get them out before seed sets....it's just too ridiculous. Amaranthus 'Intense Purple' is next to be a goner. I hate to eliminate something so pretty but my ol' back can't hack it anymore!! Besides I'd rather enjoy my garden more than hump my *ss off keeping up with these 2 thugs :) Vera

Hi all, I haven't been on this site in ages! I am into genealogy now and spend way too many hours on those sites. However, I have been out in the yard the last couple of weeks - finally letting my husband cut back way overgrown areas and trying to see if we can redesign some areas. I have had three overwintering chrysalis emerge. Two were Giant Swallowtails and one was a Spicebush. Have seen a couple other Spicebush males around and a female did lay some eggs but I think they were duds. Sulphurs are around and my Polydamas are back. Saw a couple of Tigers around the yard for a few days too. Tom - did you have a good year for wintering hummers? I had two adult males banded in Jan. and an immature male that hung around all winter too. Still have one adult male who is still molting but I am not sure if its one of my banded ones or not. I don't think so. And there is an adult male that stopped by for a couple days now, guess he is migrating through. I have Goldfinches now and have had some surprises this winter. Parulas and an Orchard Oriole came through. We have a pair of Red Shouldered Hawks nesting in an oak tree in the next door neighbors yard. The male is having a good time roosting on people's cars if they have racks on the hoods. He likes to jump from one car to the next if two are parked in the same driveway. We think he likes sun roofs too. Guess he can see himself. Last spring we had a pair nest in one of our trees. They hatched two babies but one died. Evidently, the mother disappeared and the father tried to care for the one baby. Eventually he stopped feeding the fledging and we ended up feeding it raw chicken tenders as directed by a friend from Audubon. It stayed around long enough that it would come every day for lunch and dinner, landing in the same spot in the tree. After a while it went to once a day then every couple of days and then he disappeared. We knew it could hunt on its own as it would bring lizards and mice to the same tree and sit and eat. Sorry I got off track. Good to see Miss Sherry and tdogmom are still here too. Hi to everyone else too! Mary

Hi - I'm not a Minnesotan, I just thought I'd take a peek, but I have the same problem with the little green beasties devouring columbines. I've discovered that there is a nonchemical way to thwart them. As soon as the plants leaf out in Spring I inspect the leaves daily, paying particular attention to the underside of the leaves. If I see any of the larva, I squish them. The infestation lasts about 3 weeks, then all larva mature into flies, & there is no problem with them for the rest of the season. The crisis has passed this year, & I have not lost any buds and had minimal foliage loss. Last year, before I figured this out, I lost all buds & nearly all leaves on several plants.

Hey guys, I hear you loud and clear and sympathize completely ! Will try to relate my newest war as the sightings increase, like I know they will. Today my wife and I awoke ( she's from Ohio, new to S. Florida, so much so, she has never seen a CTF till yesterday ), she walks out on the lanai and screams,.." YIKES, there's two ugly frog's sitting almost on top of each other out here on the rain gutter downspout, where it angles in from the gutter! " CTF's getting ready to mate as usual was my 1st thought. After I gave her a condensed story of my previous battles and explained why I installed the two white pipes in the backyard, she hustles out to check on them, - comes back inside 10 minutes later and tells me in a slightly shaking voice, " There's three Cubans in each pipe,...all small !! " Typical for a new resurgence among these devils I immediately realized. My war now looks like it'll be much more than a skirmish. Despite the few finger-shakers out there, my task today is now clear. Have not had the privilege of finding one of these slimy ( don't EVER pick one up in your bare hands ) gluttons laying in my toilet, and don't ever intend to experience that. So I will now put on my work gloves & storm trooper boots, slowly extract the two plastic pipes and summarily dispatch these sex-crazed ( 3/4 of their life is spent producing baby CTF's ) frog's in my own way. No discussion necessary,..lets just say they will not be producing any more babies ! Saying I've never found one in the toilet does not mean I have never been shocked & totally grossed out by one of these killers of our native creatures. Early one morning, during my initial war three yrs ago, I was taking a close look at one of my tall mango trees when WHOOSH !, - a monster CTF jumped off a big leaf and landed on my chest ! Good thing I was wearing a T shirt ! I was shocked to say the least,..recovering slightly, I cranked my head down to get a look at what was on my chest, - holding on with strong round suction-cupped fingers/toes. I was again grossed out to see two large bulging eyes looking right up into mine !!! That's when I realized my heart was in good shape ! No more boring stories, - time to dispatch these latest invaders before they multiply like crazy and cause me to wave a white flag. ( Will never happen tho, - will call in my buddies in Seal Team 6 if I have to !) lol