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Jonab, I've seen just one that keeps floating past then goes away. My daughter had one in her bedroom but fortunately it landed on the curtain, she shook it and it flew away. We've had a few people killed by them working in the vineyards.

I had an experience with one years ago when my daughter was small. We lived in an apartment, she was in a walker on the balcony. I thought it was just a big wasp, got her in and went to fetch the fly spray. I'd never seen a hornet before ( calabrone) I continued to spray it from behind the semi closed door. Eventually I killed it but it wasn't until I was telling my husband about it that I realized how stupid I was. He really gave me a good telling off. Later that evening the husbands of the other 3 apartments came out and flamed the nest which was just below our balcony. We do have a lot of them during the summer as we are surrounded by vineyards.

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Just got back from QMC again........the last eight days have been a bit Traumatic to say the least,,...blood tests,,X-rays,,and today a visit to a Consultant........cut a long story short......problem

Result........CT Scans all clear......just got letter..been sweating for a fortnight......

Two years ago today..........my life changed forever,,,about this time i was on my way down to the operating theatre for what turned out to be a ten hour operation...........its been life changing in

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I wondered how long it would be before someone asked. The answer is no, it's a small hanging false plant ball, bought from Aldi £6.99 a few years ago. It's one of a pair. Come to think of it, I have asked 'er indoors to make me a nice red pom pom to sit on top !

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For insect stings mostly mosquitoes I have always used lavender oil and aloe vera gel , it never fails to work immediately. We have these tiny flies with big wings ( in comparison to their bodies) and they bite like hell. We have mosquito nets at the windows and a curtain to prevent flys from entering at the kitchen door. We always have the front door wide open . They get in everywhere but don't really fly around they sit on anything walls, furniture and ceilings. Go to squash them or bat them away and they jump from one position to another. They are a nuisance. 

Gas saga update, plumber came this morning and repaired the damage so now we can cook. What a relief we thought we may have had to dig up part of the newly laid lawn , the concrete leading to the meters and from there lifting all the tiles surrounding the pool to get to the tank. We were lucky.

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Jonab "la manica" is the same thing just hope the hornets change direction..

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17 minutes ago, nonnaB said:

BK is that a Pom Pom on your cap?

 

Whats a plant ball? By the way your " mask" is almost the same as my husbands although he shaved it off and is now growing it again. He passed lockdown growing a beard that everyone seemed to like and I passed it baking and putting on weight.:angry:

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Again, in reply Nonna, a 'plant ball' is an artificial topiary with three chains attached so it can be hung up on a hook. As far as I'm aware, there are two sizes, 30 & 40cm. Saves growing them when lack of space dictates. Personally, I much prefer the real thing.

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ALL hornets are aggressive, we have a couple of species here, I learned a trick two old farmers told me to do if I get too close to a hornets nest and they start getting dangerously close, FREEZE, stand absolutely still...Does it work??  So far it has for me.

We also have a very aggressive ground nesting wasp, called a Yellow Jacket, not sure which is more aggressive, hornets or yellow jackets, but both have stings that are like a red hot needle on the skin.

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We've talked about yellow jackets here before, john.  They are very agressive and will even chase you down if they can.  A Good ole boy here taught me about pouring gas down the hole after dark.  You don't want to go near 'em in daylight.  They're all in the nest at night.  Pour the gas in and gerrout fast.  Works great.

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There's a funny video on Youtube with a feller pouring gas down a yellow jacket hole. He did stand back when he tossed the match, but blew his lawn up....

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Lol.  I don't think you were supposed to set fire to it.  I forgot to mention you place a jam or pickle jar over the hole before you run.  Thay are innactive at night, but I didn't stick around to be sure.  :biggrin:

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11 hours ago, jonab said:

Just noticed I put "la Manche" in my earlier post. What I meant to put was English Channel. Apologies.

 

Ça ne fait rien.. Mon Ami..  ( Or San Fairy Ann.. as the locals round here say..)  I knew exactly what you meant. I didn't get Cambridge Board O Level Grade 6 Pass in French (1965) for nothing you know. :laugh:

 

Those Asian Hornets sound pretty scary.

 

Today, I went for a walk up the hill for the first time since early Feb.  Due to the cold and rain.. it was almost like normal.. rather than the Blackpool Prom type crowds that have infested the area since lockdown.

At the very top of the hill I spent a good 15 minutes taking in the panoramic views totally alone.. which was nice.  I spotted Blackpool Tower.. some 40 Km distant, plus all the other usual landmarks.  Enjoyed it.

Came home had a cup of tea and a small roast beef sandwich and fell into a coma from 2:00 p.m for about 3 hours.  I don't usually do that during the day.

Probably ought to get an early night tonight.. Already a bit late for that.

 

 

 

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I've not been allowed out since it started apart from  driving herself to the shops, I go the 'long' way round to put a bit of charge in the batteries and then have to stay in the car.. It's making me cranky to say the least and yesterday I rebelled and went out onto the patio to talk with my brother who looks after the plants etc.

 

The resulting screaming match with herself left me in no doubt that she is taking isolation and social distancing somewhat more seriously than I am...   :rulez:

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I know the feeling, Brew.  I finally went to the store that carries some of my favorite foods.  We didn't have a screaming match but I don't think it was much approved.

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  • 2 weeks later...

An' I'll bring the fridge magnets. Although magnets don't adhere very well to wood. Niet  Tavarich! 

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1 hour ago, AfferGorritt said:

Oh! My owls are definitely Danish!

 

Damned  'tinternet, jus goes to show it can be wrong.

 

https://www.thelocal.se/20200103/unplucked-geese-and-owls-in-the-marsh-nine-animal-idioms-to-level-up-your-swedish

 

:Fool:

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For the past few weeks I have been locked in a battle of wits with a couple of wood pigeons who have been raiding my bird feeder and clearing most of the stuff in one of the trays. I have tried a lot of things to stop them. I put the feeding tray under the water tray, but too far below it and they can land on it, too near and they lean down from the water tray and get to it again. In between these two and they have one foot on the water tray the other on the food tray and get to it again. 
I have put the water tray under one of the hanging feeders with the food tray underneath that. They just shove the hanging feeder out of the way and proceed as above.
I got a super shooter and have managed to zap them a couple of times with it, now when I go out to get rid of them as soon as they see me with it they fly off, but only a couple of roofs (or is it rooves?) away and as soon as I go in they come back. We play this game all day. 
I had a brainwave and put pegs around the edge of the food tray and sat and watched them work out they could still get to the food. Tried the same with the water bowl to try and stop them landing on it but they just sat on them. I swear they smirk at me through the window when they bypass my efforts to stop them.
Whilst grudgingly admiring their tenacity I am getting heartedly sick of them, not only do they clear everything in site but they poo over everything, I am continually having to swill the mess off my slabs. I also have a couple of robins who visit every day but will only take stuff from the tray not from the feeders so I can’t put food out for them. They also scare away the blue tits and coal tits. Plus I have a male and a female blackbird who come regularly looking round the base of the feeder for scraps, if the pigeons didn’t come I could put stuff down for them, but if I do the pigeons just hoover it up.  
I have now given up and took the food tray down just leaving the hanging feeders up plus the water tray, hopefully the robins will learn to feed from them and the pigeons will clear off to bother someone else when they realise they can’t get to the food any more. 
I don’t believe it, the pigeon has managed to reach one of the hanging feeders from the water tray, have been out and moved the water tray so it now can’t reach.
I have been told to shoot one of them and that will stop them, however that is not an option that I could take. So does anyone have any ideas to help besides me sitting shotgun outside with my super shooter all day every day?

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I've seen several news items about animals which are getting braver and more adventurous with lockdown because they have the world to themselves.

 

It looks like the birds have certainly got you weighed up !

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3 hours ago, carni said:

 

PASTRIES, Who said PASTRIES...........Can I come Anawl. thumbsup

 

You're on 4 pm Sunday is that ok? It'll just give me time to make them and take a quick flight over.  I wish. 

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