Nature pics

[rolfw]

Got those in my garden, they're self seeded and cover a lot of ground, not forget-me-nots, they're called Green Alkanet. Forget-me-nots are much smaller.

 

[moonbase]

Caught these 4 on the bird feeders yesterday.

 

[jeallen01]

I did have some, but composted them. I assumed they were a weed

Same here - didn't want them to propagate in case they could be a real "problem" - will think again if any more turn up this year

 

[william-1]

Mine self seeded but you can buy the plants here for £15.
Green Alkanet Blue Blooms Hardy Perennial garden plant RARE WILD VARIETY | eBay

 

[RimaNTSS]

This kind of picture was seen from my window last night. Spooky is not it?

 

[Channel Hopper]

Earlier today

 

[Lazarus]

Crikey - we had quite a few over winter, but nothing since end of Feb.

 

[PaulR]

We've had quite a few over the last couple of weeks. Nothing for a few days now.

I toss the corpses into the chicken run. It's really quite funny watching the one which snags it first dashing around trying to keep it away from the other hens.

 

[Topper]

I have caught five mice and two rather large rats, the mice in a rat trap and the rats in a rat cage. They are building on the field behind us, 55 houses and we got invaded when they demolished the clubhouse. My rat tally for the last two years is seven.

 

[Lazarus]

Crikey - we had quite a few over winter, but nothing since end of Feb.

Famous last words ...........

 

[PaulR]

Yes, we caught another one a couple of days ago as well.

On another subject, in fact the title of the thread. Every year, or two, or three, or more, our disreputable cactus/succulent produces a single, beautiful red flower. This year I noticed not one flower but two flowers and they were on the same leaf? Brilliant I thought and then a few days later I noticed a third flower. They're not fully out yet but here they are at the moment.

 

[Channel Hopper]

So far I've managed to catch/kill eight of the sods with a single trap, none since Thursday evening though.

 

[Lazarus]

So far I've managed to catch/kill eight of the sods with a single trap, none since Thursday evening though.

Next door have three cats, which helps reduce our influx, judging by the half-eaten corpses we regularly find outside.

 

[Topper]

I have been cultivating aloe vera plants for about ten years now, they suddently began producing lot's of young around the edge of the pot about three years ago, I gave one of the offspring to my daughter who always forgets to water it yet it has thrived so much it has produced enormous yellow flowers. This is very heartening as the yellow flower variety is the medicinal properties variety.

 

[PaulR]

... who always forgets to water it yet it has thrived so much it has produced enormous yellow flowers.

There is a theory that a plant can be prompted to flower by simulating conditions in which it's going to die. This, apparently, triggers flowers as it's then the plant's way of propagating its genes.

It makes me wonder if we've been giving our succulent/cactus some extra lack of attention.

 

[Topper]

There is a theory that a plant can be prompted to flower by simulating conditions in which it's going to die. This, apparently, triggers flowers as it's then the plant's way of propagating its genes.

It makes me wonder if we've been giving our succulent/cactus some extra lack of attention.

Yes I have read that theory as well however aloe vera is an arid hot desert plant and used to such neglect, I think I am only jealous that one of mine has never flowered

 

[Topper]

Less than half a mile from our house is a row of farm cottages converted and extended into a big property with a large grassy paddock, the owners currently have a herd of alpaca living there

 

[pontiend]

We have a new guest in the Bugs hilton.There are chicks in the nest.

 

[PaulR]

The first flower has opened.

 

[william-1]

Large Red Male Damsel fly