I guess golden finches nor the yellow jackets really care whether it is sunny or rainy, they seem to go about their business regardless of the weather conditions!
Faith, actually not by default. JD feeds the birds the jam, the orioles love it. But, over the past couple days, yellow jackets have all of a sudden shown up and have taken to the sweet jam. The orioles will actually stand right there and compete for it, and the yellow jackets don't seem to bother them and vice versa.
Do you have an alternative for keeping them away from the bird feeding area?? We prefer not to use chemicals as we are afraid of the effects on the other animals.
Last year we had a nest in the ground about 100 feet away from the house, so whenever we mowed that area, it would irritate them, although they never appeared to be aggressive. Now, a week or so ago, they appeared again, not sure if they have another nest, but considering the numbers, I think I can safely assume they do!
We love the birds, we have a menagerie of them, humming birds, robins, finches, wood peckers, orioles, cardinels, blue birds, blue jays, swallows and the dreaded "mut" birds that are the ultimate bird bullies and bird house hijackers!
I think the orioles like the jam the most, I also think the wood peckers and humming birds are partial to it as well.
We got rid of those nests here.... I wish I could remember how we did it.
We must have purchased some sort of nest fogger, because I remember covering the nest with bowls weighted down - probably to hold the wasps and gas in.
It's a wake up when you mow over them isn't it! LOL Ours did sting the kids when it happened.
Faith, I think I've found the nest, at least one of them. Out front we have a rock retention wall and they are flying into a crevace in the rocks. Might be easy to exterminate them now I know where they are residing. I don't know if yellow jackets serve any purpose for our garden like the bee's do? Any idea?
Jennifer, thanks for stopping by! That is a pile of them, isn't it? I used the zoom lens!! Safer that way..LOL! :-) I wish I had captured more of the guy flying in for the feast, that would have been a cool shot!
Are you feeding your yellowjackets with jam?
ReplyDelete~Faith
Faith, actually not by default. JD feeds the birds the jam, the orioles love it. But, over the past couple days, yellow jackets have all of a sudden shown up and have taken to the sweet jam. The orioles will actually stand right there and compete for it, and the yellow jackets don't seem to bother them and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteDo you have an alternative for keeping them away from the bird feeding area?? We prefer not to use chemicals as we are afraid of the effects on the other animals.
R Dean
No, I've never done bird feeding. My folks do, but I've never heard of feeding them jam before.
ReplyDeleteWe used to make yellowjacket traps, but that was only for wanderers. I can't imagine trying to catch all of the ones that came to feed.
~Faith
Faith,
ReplyDeleteLast year we had a nest in the ground about 100 feet away from the house, so whenever we mowed that area, it would irritate them, although they never appeared to be aggressive. Now, a week or so ago, they appeared again, not sure if they have another nest, but considering the numbers, I think I can safely assume they do!
We love the birds, we have a menagerie of them, humming birds, robins, finches, wood peckers, orioles, cardinels, blue birds, blue jays, swallows and the dreaded "mut" birds that are the ultimate bird bullies and bird house hijackers!
I think the orioles like the jam the most, I also think the wood peckers and humming birds are partial to it as well.
R Dean
We got rid of those nests here.... I wish I could remember how we did it.
ReplyDeleteWe must have purchased some sort of nest fogger, because I remember covering the nest with bowls weighted down - probably to hold the wasps and gas in.
It's a wake up when you mow over them isn't it! LOL Ours did sting the kids when it happened.
~Faith
The pile of yellowjackets is amazing!! :)
ReplyDeleteFaith, I think I've found the nest, at least one of them. Out front we have a rock retention wall and they are flying into a crevace in the rocks. Might be easy to exterminate them now I know where they are residing. I don't know if yellow jackets serve any purpose for our garden like the bee's do? Any idea?
ReplyDeleteR Dean
Jennifer, thanks for stopping by! That is a pile of them, isn't it? I used the zoom lens!! Safer that way..LOL! :-) I wish I had captured more of the guy flying in for the feast, that would have been a cool shot!
ReplyDeleteI still need to learn how to watermark the pics!
R Dean