I would like to go back to the VFT discussion, because sometimes I get too caught up in science discussions, and I do not have time for so much writing. Has any one ever seen a B52 with traps of more than 2" in size??? Because this plant is selling for $25.00 each with only one inch size traps. And until now, I have not found one pic on the net that shows me this is a true giant. I have Dingley Giants, Big Mouths, Dutch, Big Vigorous, and the Royal Red. Well, I have more cultivars than this, but these are the giants. In all my fifteen years growing these plants, I find that the trap sizes are as follows in smallest to largest: Dutch, Big Mouth, Dingley Giant, Royal Red, and the largest of them all.. The Big Vigorous. This plant without seen the label I can spot it in my CP garden because it always deploys large traps. So I am wondering if the B52 might trully be bigger than the Big Vigorous, or would the Big Vigorous win in size. The greatest thing about the Big Vigorous is that the traps are not only larger than any other cultivar I know, but the traps teeth are thick making the plant look stronger which is why it is call Vigorous. In my garden I actually have others that are bigger than even the Big Vigorous, but they are plants that I grew from seeds and have not registered them as cultivars. I am looking for the largest traps in the world and they might be right in my garden..... that is if the B52 is not as large as they claim. I guess the best thing to do would be to buy one, and grow it big myself. So my next question woould be....Does any one knows a good reputable place to buyt this plant?

Donna I'm so sorry to here of your loss. Last yr. was my first yr Blue Birding and my first nesting was killed by wrens and I cried as if one of my kids....your right they bring so much joy. I had'nt seen my mama blue today so this evening I went out and raised up the wren guard still couldn't see inside to dark so I ever so gentley open the door slowly and she was in there sitting on her eggs....I was so thrilled to see she was ok. I worry even though I have the baffle, wren guard and spooker up. Like Al said hawks or owls worry me, had a hawk yesterday almost fly into my pic window. But I hope your Mr. Blue finds a new mate and you have a new nesting soon.

Hi Suzanne. I am in Southern NH and had 3 bluebird nestings this year from the same parents - 11 babies total. Please don't feel too bad about your babies. Its ok to be sad for a while, but don't blame yourself. Hopefully the mom and dad will be back next spring to make more! I keep my boxes up because I have a lot of woodpeckers that roost in the boxes at night; also I had 7 blues winter here (in Bedford) last season and I wouldn't be surprised if they used a box to roost, too! I was new to all this last year and I know so much more from this site and the sialis.org site. I have 3 babies about to fledge in less than a week and you are right, the rains have been awful. I have saved a couple of the previous nests just in case this one gets wet (or gets too many blowflies)... I have read here you can do a nest change and this will help the babies survive. There is so much to learn; stick around. Even when you think you did all you can do to make things safe, you can still have things go wrong. I had a bad thing happen last week. My papa blue got caught up in blueberry netting and didn't make it. I cried almost all last week about it, it was devastating for me to think that mom lost her mate and now has 3 babies to raise by herself, and how could I be using that net... I tearfully buried him in one of my gardens in blueberry fabric and a box... it was so sad. I learned that this awful plastic net is a killer and I am buying tobacco net for next year. I am hoping mom finds a new mate, now, and that my yard will be safer than ever so there can be more blues born. I am also careful not to use pesticides on my lawn and all organic everything... I read here that is bad for all birds... not to mention groundwater. Birds are mostly instinctual and probably don't dwell on bad stuff that happens to them, like we humans do. I thought I was doing all the right things Nabs box, baffle, 50' away from trees, feeding mealworms but not too many so they get lazy, feeding suet, no pesticides on lawn, feeding waxworms occasionally, providing vitamin supplements, birdbath, etc. Sometimes crap happens and we learn from it and improve their conditions because of it. You are doing more to help the blues and learn about their needs, than most people, so that, you can be proud of. Jenn

Bought mine brand new exact same problem. STIHL dealer told me the FS-38 model has a faulty carburetor design. I ask them to refund me to purchase a different model. They told me I couldn't do that and they would install a new carburetor under warranty. I said ok fine so after the new carburetor it only took one day of use to happen again. I took it back again. With a proper STIHL oil 2 stroke mix and a new carburetor they said there's no fix for that model. I took my 20+ year old Homelite weed eater in also to show them what selling a reliable product looks like. I've used many STIHL products over the year's and thought they were without doubt the best. The fact they didn't refund me on this deal changed everything.