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Have Hammer, please read this


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Hello Have Hammers,

I have a project for you that will benefit EVERYBODY.  Please
have a look at:

http://www.ruralsurvival.com/mosquito_control.html

and

http://www.treeswallowprojects.com/buildbox.html

How about I get you started.  I'll buy 10 of these babies for $500
pesos each. Please include a 2 meter pole. Does that sound fair?
If so, send me message at nadine.and.henry -at- pobox.com and
we'll get together to set (some of) them up and I'll do a write
up of how they are working for the Ojo del Lago.  Of course I'll
pay you first.

Best wishes,
Henry Laxen
 

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There are plenty of swallows here and they build mud nests like barn and cliff swallows do NOB but here in restaurants and houses under the eaves where they poop all over. Where do you plan on putting these? On your property where you can enjoy looking at the rats and squirrels that will become the tenants?
 

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Good ideas as usual Henry! The swallows seem very transitory, we had a flock for about a month, they are amazing and beautiful. Lots of nesting areas up here in the hills. Did you read on another post how they produce a sticky saliva around there beaks, and fly through swarms of insects, the baby Swallows pick the bugs around the beak. Bats are much better bug predators, but they only fly at night. It is the daytime mosquitoes causing the problems. Still have a pair of Vermillion Flycatchers hanging around.

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16 hours ago, ned small said:

There are plenty of swallows here and they build mud nests like barn and cliff swallows do NOB but here in restaurants and houses under the eaves where they poop all over. Where do you plan on putting these? On your property where you can enjoy looking at the rats and squirrels that will become the tenants?
 

I plan on putting one or two on my property, and giving the rest away to people who request them.  Perhaps there are others who enjoy watching rats and squirrels pooping on their lawn.  Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

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9 hours ago, john everett said:

Also, could you clear the cyclopista of your sedimentary runoff, thanks.

Is this request directed at me?  I'm not sure what you are talking about.

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With all due respect Henry, there is one slight problem. TREE swallows use holes in trees, and when not available, nesting houses such as you describe.  We don't have tree swallows here.

What we have here (please, bird fanciers jump in if I'm wrong) are barn swallows (or could be either cliff or cave swallows).  According to my Peterson Field Guide,  none of the three use houses. They will only use the mud "cups" they make themselves,that we all see attached to the undersides of eaves, etc. such as the many we  have on our house in San Antonio.

So, while it is a great idea, I don't think it's going to work.....:(

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1 hour ago, Natasha said:

With all due respect Henry, there is one slight problem. TREE swallows use holes in trees, and when not available, nesting houses such as you describe.  We don't have tree swallows here.

What we have here (please, bird fanciers jump in if I'm wrong) are barn swallows (or could be either cliff or cave swallows).  According to my Peterson Field Guide,  none of the three use houses. They will only use the mud "cups" they make themselves,that we all see attached to the undersides of eaves, etc. such as the many we  have on our house in San Antonio.

So, while it is a great idea, I don't think it's going to work.....:(

That's bad news Natasha.  I was hoping to help fight dengue and put some pesos into the Have Hammers coffers.  I'll go down to their location and see if they'll build two of them for me and report back next year to say what happened.  Thanks for the info.

Best wishes,

Henry Laxen

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13 hours ago, nothernewbie said:

I have always been interested in bat houses.  If they make them for you, Henry, instead of the bird houses, I am in for a couple.  They must be made to bat house specs.

 

Sorry to burst another balloon but the bats we have here are Jamaican fruit bats. If you want them around,leave your hummingbird feeder uncovered overnight. They do carry whole seeds in their poop and that's one of the reasons you may find plants in your garden that you didn't plant.

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Just now, ned small said:

Sorry to burst another balloon but the bats we have here are Jamaican fruit bats. If you want them around,leave your hummingbird feeder uncovered overnight. They do carry whole seeds in their poop and that's one of the reasons you may find plants in your garden that you didn't plant.

I have always been interested in bat houses.  If they make them for you, Henry, instead of the bird houses, I am in for a couple.  They must be made to bat house specs.

AWWW, shucks.  I do want them and do have them but was hoping to entice more.  I don't have a hummingbird feeder but may get one.

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6 minutes ago, nothernewbie said:

I have always been interested in bat houses.  If they make them for you, Henry, instead of the bird houses, I am in for a couple.  They must be made to bat house specs.

AWWW, shucks.  I do want them and do have them but was hoping to entice more.  I don't have a hummingbird feeder but may get one.

If you want a "bat proof" hummingbird feeder, get a humzinger.  They have tiny plastic "nipples" that let beaks in but keep tongues out.  See this. I have one and the fruit bats hate it.

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3 minutes ago, nothernewbie said:

I have always been interested in bat houses.  If they make them for you, Henry, instead of the bird houses, I am in for a couple.  They must be made to bat house specs.

AWWW, shucks.  I do want them and do have them but was hoping to entice more.  I don't have a hummingbird feeder but may get one.

I suggest you google the Jamaican Fruit Bat to actually understand their habitat. 2 of us have already informed the OP that what applies to other species does not apply to what we have here especially ideas from NOB which according to his links is where he got the idea for his scheme.

 

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Bats nest in the hanging dead fronds of the palms.

In this climate where flora and fauna are plentiful year round, it is unnecessary to provide supplemental nourishment or homes for hummingbirds, bats, swallows or anything else. They don't need any help from us. If you wish to draw them to your property, plant what they eat and provide a dish of water or a birdbath in your garden.

There are a number of plants that repel mosquitoes, for example lavender. Google for a complete list.

Additionally, you can use fresh lavender, for example, in a little water in a diffuser in the house or patio.

Libby

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