u/NoBeeper

I’ve had this Chimney Swift Tower in my backyard in central Kentucky for about 15 years. Have had a nesting pair plus 6-8 helpers every year. No problems until about 3 years ago when the snakes figured it out. This particular snake got 4 three day old nestlings last night.

Before next season, I’ll have this Tower either replaced or reworked to make it more snake proof. So, to that end, I’m seeking ideas to accomplish that. The next one will be on baffled metal poles, elevated off the ground by a couple of feet. No nearby overhanging limbs and likely have a 2’ wide band of smooth sheet metal around the top.

Any construction hints or design ideas will be greatly appreciated.

I have fungus gnats in my moss gardens. These are made in 1.5-2” deep dishes with potting soil substrate. They are open, not closed in any way. I read about BTI Water or Gnatrol to be rid of these pests, but want to know if anyone here has experience using either of these products with moss? Do they injure the moss or other plants? Thanks for any answers ahead of time.

Pretty sure this is a False Potato Beetle I found in central Kentucky, but I’m curious about why one wing cover is black/white and the other is black/brown. I have not been able to find anything info on that. Any of you folks know? Thanks!