392 replies to this topic

[aastra]

 

The amazing thing about the bobcat is its incredible grip even while facing straight down.

 

Bobcats have one of the greatest grip strengths in the animal kingdom. Ever seen a bobcat arm-wrestle a mountain gorilla? No, you haven't. And now you know why.

[Victoria Watcher]

Arm wrestling requires a period of calm while you set. Wild animals are not good at that.

I’ve been trying it with my termite colony. Very difficult.






Termite Colony opens the Tinto Rocks festival in 2025. Tentative.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 November 2022 - 07:07 PM.

[aastra]

That's a stereotype and you know it.

[aastra]

 

The amazing thing about the bobcat is its incredible grip

 

I still feel like my earlier reference to Karakal golf club grips didn't land as well as it should have, but I'm mature enough to resist the temptation to repeat it.

[Victoria Watcher]

I’ve been trying it with my termite colony. Very difficult.






.

Plus it’s very hard to craft tiny little tables with two opposing chairs too.

And these termites are colonial too, you’d think they’d be into it. But you’d be wrong.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 November 2022 - 07:12 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

https://www.cbc.ca/n...mo-bc-1.6699226


A cougar is prowling this small island near Nanaimo, B.C., and residents are worried




Just kill the thing then.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 December 2022 - 12:27 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

A large cougar is prowling a tiny but densely populated island just off Nanaimo and officials with the Environment Ministry say conservation officers are keeping a close eye on the situation.

 

A spokeswoman for the ministry says the B.C. Conservation Officer Service has received numerous calls about the cougar on Protection Island, a 70-hectare community of about 350 homes on the east side of Nanaimo Harbour.

 

Conservation officer Andrew Riddell told CHEK News he met with Protection Island residents Thursday morning and later set up a live trap “in hopes of capturing the cougar overnight or in the coming days.”

 

If the cat is caught, conservation officers and the provincial veterinarian will assess its condition and decide along with provincial biologists where to relocate it.

 

 

https://www.timescol...oves-in-6310203

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 December 2022 - 10:51 PM.

[Mike K.]

From the province:

To minimize the risk invasive spongy moths pose to forests, farms, orchards and urban trees and to prevent the moths from becoming permanently established, the Ministry of Forests plans to carry out a spongy moth treatment program in Greater Victoria during the spring.

Invasive spongy moths (also known as Lymantria moths, and formerly known as gypsy moths) pose a risk to B.C.’s ecosystems and economy. Spongy moth caterpillars feed on tree leaves and have defoliated sections of forests and residential areas in Ontario and the eastern United States in recent years. Should spongy moths become permanently established, trees, such as Garry oak, arbutus, red alder, aspen, cottonwood, maple, orchard fruit trees, nut trees and many species of urban ornamental trees, will be affected. Local pollinators that rely on these trees face increased competition from spongy moth caterpillars for resources. Untreated spongy moths risk spreading to other areas of B.C. and are a threat to forests and farms.

Agricultural operations are at risk from spongy moths because the moths can affect food crops, such as apples, blueberries and other fruits, as well as garden nursery products. Infested operations are often subject to agriculture quarantines, as well as additional measures that may include product certification and increased pesticide use. Also, a permanent spongy moth population would require B.C. agricultural and forest exports to be subject to restrictions at the U.S. border. These commodities would have to be inspected, possibly resulting in delays or additional expense associated with the export of these products. Commercial and non-commercial vehicle traffic into the U.S. could also be inconvenienced by a more thorough inspection regimen.

The 2022 monitoring program trapped a record number of male spongy moths throughout B.C., with positive detections increasing over the past two to three years across seven sites identified for treatment. This indicates that spongy moths could become established in those locations if the planned pesticide spraying is not completed. The increased threat potential is tied to outbreaks in outbreaks in Ontario and Quebec during the past three years. Egg masses are commonly transported to B.C. on recreational vehicles and outdoor household objects originating from affected areas outside of the province.

The treatments are planned for Greater Victoria, Courtenay, Campbell River and Port Alberni. The ministry is planning three treatments in the specified areas between April 1 and June 30, 2023.

The biological insecticide used in the treatment is Foray 48B. It is used in organic farming, and the active ingredient, Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki (Btk), is naturally present in urban, agricultural and forest soils throughout the province. It only affects spongy moth caterpillars and is specific to their digestive systems.

The treatment has been approved for the control of spongy moth larvae in Canada since 1961. Repeat scientific study concludes the treatment poses no threat to people. It does not harm mammals, birds, fish, plants, reptiles, amphibians, bees nor other insects. It affects spongy moth caterpillars once they have ingested the treated vegetation.

Residents in the planned spray areas are invited to submit comments for evaluation about the application amendment for Courtenay (refer to Permit No. 738-0032-21-24) and the pesticide-use permit applications for Campbell River/Port Alberni (Permit No. 738-0036-23-23) and Victoria (Permit No. 738-0035-23-23), by Feb. 21, 2023:

Integrated Pest Management Act administrator
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Suite 200, 10470 152 St.
Surrey, B.C.
V3R 0Y3

[Victoria Watcher]

They should sprinkle in a bit of deericide powder.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 January 2023 - 09:25 AM.

[Nparker]

Is there any chance Spongy Moth will perform at this year's Tinto Rocks festival?

[Victoria Watcher]

Neighbours worry Esquimalt bunny family could lead to population explosion

 

 

https://www.timescol...plosion-6827932

 

 

 

 

They should be trapped and euthanized, just like we do with other less attractive-looking rodents.

[todd]

What’s an attractive rodent?

[Victoria Watcher]

What’s an attractive rodent?

 

Beaver (from a distance)

Hamster

Squirrel

 

 

 

Admit It, Squirrels Are Just Tree Rats

So why do we love one rodent and hate the other?

 

https://www.theatlan...erences/661526/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 April 2023 - 09:35 AM.

[todd]

Think rats are more likely to get into your house and make it uninhabitable. That’s probably why it’s instinctual to hate rats and mice


https://youtu.be/RjI3w_FGU1U

Edited by todd, 10 April 2023 - 10:14 AM.

[Nparker]

What’s an attractive rodent?

Not in my opinion, but some people seem to think so.

[Nparker]

...Squirrels Are Just Tree Rats

Rats who can afford better stylists.

[todd]

The older ladies seem to like him, personally never found the PM attractive, a bit of a dorky vibe. Not that there’s anything wrong with that

I don’t think it’s good to have an attractive Prime Minister makes the other world leaders jealous, I prefer somebody like Jean Chrétien for PM

Edited by todd, 10 April 2023 - 10:25 AM.

[Nparker]

... I prefer somebody like Jean Chrétien for PM

In retrospect, so do I.

[todd]

Rats who can afford better stylists.

Rinaldo passed away a few years back, my grandmother used to go to him, he always charged the same rate for her even as he raised his rates.



“Rinaldo Canonico, former hairdresser to Ottawa’s rich and famous, and a man so celebrated in social circles himself that he was known solely by his first name, died on Wednesday afternoon…”

…“Even after he moved to Montreal, Pierre Trudeau used to come back to Ottawa to have his hair cut by Rinaldo,”…: https://ottawacitize...1df4384bd3/amp/

Edited by todd, 10 April 2023 - 11:00 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

I've now been informed rabbits are not rodents.

 

You get the idea though.  They are still nibbly little critters.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 April 2023 - 10:58 AM.