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Re: houses



Hi C-birders,

Add another species to the birdbath list: a Grey Catbird materialized
thereon today, running a House Sparrow off in the process. Yay! Robins
still outnumbering all other visitors by about 10:1.

Ants found the hummingbird feeder yesterday. Not sure whether I need to
put up a barrier or not; they were drowning by the dozen, possibly more
than were getting away with any sugar. I'll wait and see.

On Fri, 14 Jun 2002, Leah Campbell wrote:
>
> I really must set up a bat house. Anyone have luck with those?

Bat houses work, but you apparently have to be *very* careful where you
hang them. Bats are allegedly very sensitive to daytime temperatures in
their shelters; I was surprised to read that you need to hang them
somewhere that gets direct sun for 4-6 hours a day! Read up carefully
before buying or hanging one.

> Maybe I
> should come up with plans for a dragonfly house too! (Where do the
> little dragons rest, besides skinny vertical structures?) There are
> butterfly and ladybug houses, why not dragon houses?

I haven't heard of anyone getting results with butterfly houses, I think
they're mostly for show. As for dragons, they mainly rest in the foliage
of shrubs and trees and tall grass. Did find a few in a parking garage
once, but that was in Miami Beach, not like they had much choice... Also
think maybe they had been drawn in by the lights. Can't think of any way
you could artificially replicate dragonfly shelter, just have to let some
part of your yard get wild and overgrown, put the plant-trimming tools
away.

Good birding,

Josh


Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/