Rhizo...in other words, PM won't kill house plant bugs? I don't want to harm bees, butterflys, etc. Guess PM are out. Via a plant catalog, either MI Bulb or Garden's Alive, I could have sworn it read PM eat certain house plant bugs, 'mentioning the type,' but it's been a few years since reading the article, so I can't recall which bugs were listed. Of course, the PM were for sale, so the company could have sworn PM eat anything so they sell. lol. I also read PM's can reach 7"...perhaps size difers by type/location..possiblity? Rina's PM is all green, while the Mantis on your link is brown and green..Wonder if they change colors like Chameleons or when mature. Rhizo, if everything is okay, I plan on buying fishing line next spring. Hey, I never fished in my life..don't know the color of line..lol.. I've seen ppl fishing, thought their lines were silver..What is the correct color? Yep, I know what you mean about attaching buttons due to added, 'stress.' lol Rina, it's sad about the hummers. I wouldn't want to see let alone harm a humming bird. Since a hungry PM eats hummers, butterflys and a few other wildlife species, I've decided to pass up hatching eggs. Rina, I agree..one Wisteria branch is heavy; attaching remaining stems would be like lifting weights, so it'll need heavy/strong line. Purple mentioned 30..I'll have to see what's available. Actually, this summer was the first time Wisteria bloomed. Two, long, purple clusters..lol. I know it's not much consider its size, but after all the years it's been around, I would have been happy with one cluster..lol. I'm happy this thread is still active. I have a question, not related to preditors...but wildlife. The last couple weeks, something has been lurking in the yard..Our dog must have ESP because he could be sitting on the couch, then suddenly run to the back door and start barking. Anyway, last night dh and I looked out the back door to investigate. What we saw was unbelievable. It had to be an opposum, but if so, he/she was the largest ever. Coco, our dog weighs 19lbs. Opposum had to weigh 25-30lbs. His/her head is huge..its face looked like a baby Panda Bear, but the body was that of opposium. Only, much larger than any we've ever seen. It looked like a baby Panda on steroids..lol. Short fur, long tail. Its tail was thick. Anyone ever see an opposum that size? I Googled, but the largest read was 13lbs..this animal is 2.5 sizes higher. I tried snapping a pic through our glass door, but it didn't take, came out blurry..tonight, around 9:30, I might sneak out back, wait for it to return. Then take a picture. I swear to God, this opposum was the largest we'd ever seen, and we've sighted many opposum in the woods, and while camping. Any ideas? Toni

Our hummingbirds are wild ones; they just fly in and out through the vents. They are naturally present here for about half the year. I will not be surprised if one or two decide to spend the winter in the greenhouse; I've had other birds do that as well. The hummers even build their nests inside and deposit the amazingly small eggs. It is quite fun to observe. The higher than usual sugar concentration is safe for the hummers, but it does mean that they visit the feeder less often since they get more sugar with each swallow of the solution. Using the conventional 1:4 sugar:water ratio in the feeders causes too much growth in the solution. For a situation like mine where the solution warms every day quite a bit because it is in the sun, the higher concentration really makes a big difference. Renais

I try to remember to take them down at sunset and be sure to put them up either right away or first thing in the morning, tho' now you tell me about having them follow you I'm not sure I should! The other day I didn't pay proper attention to proportions and realized I'd apparently reversed the sugar and water proportions so it was really thick. I added quite a bit of water but wasn't sure it wasn't still too sweet, but I put it out anyway. Today I was glad and I think my hummer was too--it's so cold, and it just sat there and drank and drank and drank. Stocking up for tonite, I guess! The only squirrel the cats have not succeeded in driving away or eating (I did think the little pests were annoying when they were digging up plants and stuff, but I enjoy having SOME!) just sat there and ate most of two ears of corn the same way. AARGH!! It's too late to be so cold!

Hey, Mary. Good to "see" you again. We talked about the issue of who sees the hummingbirds and when in another thread last year. It seems that there is a line that changes a bit, but it starts around Merritt Island on the East and passes a bit north of Kissimmee and then across the state a bit north of you in Lakeland and then to the coast somewhere around Palm Harbor. Apparently hummers show up there in winter months primarily. The Ruby-throateds probably come up from the South and feed in your area in the winter. I think there's a group that don't migrate to Mexico, but tend to stay in Southern Florida permanently, except they do go north in the winter months. At least that is what I surmise. I'm in Clermont and we get most of ours with the normal Ruby-throated migration that arrives here in the first part of March and then leaves in September or early October. I don't know, perhaps some go south then and visit you, Mary. People in your area and just south of you tend to report seeing hummingbirds in the winter months. The Rufous come down from the north. I had them the December and winter before last, but I think the weather was too cold and not enough flowers were blooming for them this year, so they went further south. I suspect the same thing happened with the Black-Chinned you saw Mary. People nearer the Gulf tend to see them from time to time. Right now I have one male and at least three females visiting daily. The male will leave very soon, but the females and their offspring will stick around through August. What you saw, Tarilyn, was probably a mother and her young or perhaps siblings from the same nest. If they aren't closely related they generally chase each other. Two years ago I saw four at the same coral honeysuckle in late July. It had to be a mother with her two babies and another sibling from an earlier brood. You are in my area, Tarilyn, so you stand a good chance of seeing them until late September or early October. They may come to a feeder if you put one out. IÂll post in the Butterfly forum, Mary and we can chat more there. Congratulations, Tarilyn.