Rolfe
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Everything posted by Rolfe
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I was called out to a suspected mouse infestation in some outbuildings and was show some droppings on a pine dresser. The client was convinced they were mouse droppings but i had my doubts and told her so. Bat droppings and mouse droppings are easily confused so shining the torch about the roof void...........i found the real culprit watching me suspiciously from above...! I am no bat expert so could someone identify the bat species.........i had a very quick look on google and there are a few that look very similar so i am not quite sure........any sensible suggestions would be appreciated..
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I was called out to a suspected mouse infestation and soon identified that the droppings on the pine dresser in the stone outbuilding were from a bat and not from a mouse. Looking up i found the culprit watching me............but what type of bat is it? I suppose i could google it but someone out there is bound to know.
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Another Bee Swarm Safely Gathered In.........More Jars of Free Honey from The Bee-Keeper...Yummy...!
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Having been laid up for a day or two with a severe viral chest infection (according to the doc anyway) it was nice to venture out for an hour tonight with the two lurchers to get a bit of fresh air. They were cutting the wheat and although the rabbits were not about in great numbers the dogs both had their share of catches.........and we had a nice half dozen bunnies in a short space of time. It is great to see the bitch back to her catching ways after the nasty break to her front leg..........so never give up on an injured dog unless you really have too.............she was catching bunnies li
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I did consider running a few long nets along the conservation strips.........but then the thought of removing the rape chaff from the nets afterwards made me think again........lol....! It was just a pleasure to be out in the fields and to be honest if a few bunnies get away then good luck to them.............waiting for them to start the wheat soon..........then the dogs can get some good runs atb.
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The farms i frequent have just started to bring the first rape fields in, so i spent an enjoyable few hours waiting with the gun and watching the harvester going around. I have been flat out with wasp nests the last month ( even did 5 today on a Sunday ) so it made a refreshing change to just be out in the fields and chill for an hour or two. The rabbits were bolting thick and fast but as i was the only gun out i couldn't cover all the escape routes............ many made good there escape.......... but i still had a nice bag of 14 prime harvest bunnies..........love these long hot sunny days.
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In any rabbit infested bank or hedgerow you will find areas more populated than others, checking the runs leading to the buries should tell you where the most rabbits are likely to hit the net. If conditions are favourable then these areas are where you want to be dropping the net after dark. It always pays to spend a little time in the daytime to make sure the area you are going to work is debris free and that it will (hopefully) produce a few rabbits after dark. I work with three 50 yard nets and one 75 yard quick set and i can use one of them or all of them depending on the rabbit activity.
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I asked the same question last season with my mate the beekeeper after noticing loads of honey bees doing the same thing in the dogs run. He says they are extracting trace minerals contained in the urine but he was not specific in what these minerals were. They obviously find something beneficial to their well-being anyway. Rolfe.
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you sure???
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The left hand Brindle for me everytime............looks a cracker............got a look of determination in her eye Trace
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To think they construct these beautiful feats of engineering from chewed wood fibre to make the wasp "Paper"...... is amazing....! You can stand and hear the noise of them stripping the fibres if you get close enough to a shed, fence, or tree whilst they are working.....!
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Certainly not a beetle..........least if it is i'm glad i never saw it lol.............Look at the rabbit prints in the background and you will be able to see how wide the tracks are..........at least 4 inches. I am begining to wonder if it were a snake to be honest, Thanks for the link there a some very similar tracks in there. Rolfe.
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My first thought was snake (not a local one though) Certainly look very similar..............maybe it was a snake.........we have plenty of grass snakes and a few adders here.!
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realy great find rolfe , i wonder if those tracks were made by a snake ? Did think that John.........BUT.......they were too square edged in my opinion, i would have thought they would have been more swirly for want of a better word if it were a snake..............but as in all things............never say never..!
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Found this little Fella on the golf course beside an old stone wall that is home to quite a few........Beautiful Creature.....!
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Spotted these unusual tracks in a heap of bunker sand on the golf course.......always seeing plenty of rabbit, mink, fox, badger, squirrel etc........but never seen any like these. They are about 4 inches wide with NO signs of tail drag........and are quite symmetrical. Any sensible ideas would be welcome as i am stumped on this one.
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Wasps, Bee's......and More bees...!
Rolfe replied to Rolfe's topic in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control
Do what i do ...........The guy in the pictures is the local beekeeper who is at hand to come out with me to collect swarms for re-locating in his hives. If he isn't available then i have enough confidence and know-how to collect the swarm and deliver them to him myself. I personally can't be arsed with the finer points of bee keeping but it is fascinating to watch someone who is prepared to lovingly collect and re-home a swarm. We have a professional working relationship in as much as i get the money...........he gets the benefits from the swarm when they finally produce a supply of saleable -
Don't know if the person who started the thread is a "Professional" pest controller or one who just does it for a bit of money on the side but i have been in business many many years as a full time pest controller and my answer would be this: Give them a competitive price for the job..........agree that price........ and stick to it.... If they don't like what they hear then f***k them off and if as was described previously they pronounce the "Last fella did it for £30 quid" then do as i do...........tell them to go get the last bloke back again, tell them you run a business and not a charit
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Been busy today..............three wasp nests..........one a nice and easy in a honeysuckle. three advisory bumble-bee nests, and a nice sized bee swarm to collect ........Summer is truly upon us.
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Well i brought one in years ago.........can't remember from where now..........and then used that as a template to make my own, they are pretty simple to make if you have access to some galvanised wire mesh.
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I started my first wasp nests in mid May this year.......nothing unusual in that but the sheer amount i have been getting is certainly different. I have had a busy year relocating bumble bees, re-homing bee swarms and dealing with umpteen calls for many different variety's of bee's in general. (Masonry in particular) I think the very hot spell we had in April has had a lot to do with it as everything came out of hibernation early and then there were no late HARD frosts to kill them off. All means work for me so i am not complaining but it will be interesting to see if the season finishes early
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To be Honest they are as cheap as chips (especially if you make your own) so once they become unservicable just dispose of them and start afresh with a new wire. Sometimes you can get quite a few settings from the one wire, but more often than not it is a lot less hassle to use a new wire rather than wasting time and effort re-tensioning an old one.
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Yes you are exactly right.......we all need to be very careful especially where chemicals are involved
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Exactly........Queens often over winter in the old nest of the season..........then start afresh in the same roof space. I have treated plenty of wasp nests built alongside older ones. Sometimes these Gigantic nests are the result of several seasons building in the same location.
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Yes..........But in that particular case they were Feral Honey Bees..........vastly different fom moving and relocating a colony of Bumble Bees.....!