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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chuck in Indiana on October 12, 2015, 12:13:49 PM
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Ok, Dorcia is a Master Gardener. She has thousands of flowers, and loves ever one of them. :rolleyes: :smiley: In her beds around the pond, we have this problem.
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/elwood59/1-001_zpsnrn21dtw.jpg) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/elwood59/media/1-001_zpsnrn21dtw.jpg.html)
She says her flowers die wherever these are. Naturally, her problems are my problems. :smiley:
I'm *assuming* these are crawdads.. mudbugs..whatever you call them.
Correct?
If so, can I trap em and eat em? Any other eradication methods?
TIA
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I thought Crawdads/Mudbugs were Crayfish.... ya know, boil em, then pinch the tails and suck the heads!
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I don't see anything in the picture that looks like a crawdad. When I was a kid crawdads were a fresh water shrimp.
Side note -- they're an invasive species being found in Alaska waters recently. The gubbmt is asking us to destroy them whenever we find them.
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All I see is a shoe. Crawdads look like little lobstahs.
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If your 'aim' is good and the 'manifold pressure' is high enough you can 'flush' them out. :boozing:
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That's bad, Chuck, that's real bad.
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Uhhh, I'm talking about the holes. I know what a crawdad looks like..
That's bad, Chuck, that's real bad.
Naa, John.. Momma didn't raise no foolish children. I won't be stepping on any of Dorcia's flowers.. :smiley:
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sure they aren't cicada killers?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphecius_speciosus
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sure they aren't cicada killers?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphecius_speciosus
Yeah, I'm familiar with cicada killers. We had those back at the log cabin. These holes are much larger, as much as 2 inches in diameter. I'm not seeing the typical mud volcanoes of crawdads, though. There is some mud around most of them, but not all..
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Snakes? Or maybe voles? (not sure what's common where you live)
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sure you can eat crawdads. But I am not sure what's in those holes.
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Snakes? Or maybe voles? (not sure what's common where you live)
Snakes and voles are both common where we live. I just figured that there is a *bunch* of experience on WG, and someone would know for sure what is causing the problem.
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Snakes and voles are both common where we live. I just figured that there is a *bunch* of experience on WG, and someone would know for sure what is causing the problem.
The answer to that all depends on one's perspective :thewife:
Dusty
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The answer to that all depends on one's perspective :thewife:
Dusty
True..true.. :smiley:
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Found similar problem in parents garden at weekend.
Must be a different species **** chaffers, seriously the names they come up with, never seen or heard of them before
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cockchaffer&safe=off&hl=en-GB&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIzLTP7OK9yAIVgkQaCh1OPgLo#mhpiv=18 (http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cockchaffer&safe=off&hl=en-GB&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIzLTP7OK9yAIVgkQaCh1OPgLo#mhpiv=18)
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http://www.ehow.com/info_12086433_causes-mud-piles-popping-up-backyard.html
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Crawdads are very scarfable, mud holes and boots not so scarfable. And that is the difference.
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http://www.ehow.com/info_12086433_causes-mud-piles-popping-up-backyard.html
No chimneys..
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Looks like mud daubers to me. I wouldn't eat 'em.
-AJ
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Lol here in Louisiana we call them crawfish holes aka mudbug holes or sometimes lizards and frogs get down in there and drive me nuts in the summer. You can always try to flood them out if your feeling up to wasting water. Me personally I like to eliminate them with extreme prejudice and just pour old gas in the hole guaranteed to flush what ever out. Good luck
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Looks like mud daubers to me. I wouldn't eat 'em.
Common meaning for "mud dauber" is a long waisted wasp that uses mud to build a tubular nest, that it stocks with spiders for the larva to live on. This sure isn't that.
If it's crayfish, those would be exit holes, true? maybe 1/2 inch? Pygmy crayfish maybe? Crayfish incidentally comes from Old French crevice, related to German krebs ("crevice" comes from Old French crevace.) There are a lot of different species, I think most of them don't burrow.
I bet old gas would be a marvelous soil amendment for the garden, too. (Not really.)
Looks like this might call for some work with a shovel. They probably go pretty deep, that isn't topsoill is it?
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Common meaning for "mud dauber" is a long waisted wasp that uses mud to build a tubular nest, that it stocks with spiders for the larva to live on. This sure isn't that.
If it's crayfish, those would be exit holes, true? maybe 1/2 inch? Pygmy crayfish maybe? Given that they're next to a pond, though, I think it's a pretty safe bet they're crayfish. Maybe if you give them time they'll put up some taller chimneys. Crayfish incidentally comes from Old French crevice, related to German krebs ("crevice" comes from Old French crevace.) There are a lot of different species, I think most of them don't burrow.
I bet old gas would be a marvelous soil amendment for the garden, too. (Not really.)
Looks like this might call for some work with a shovel. They probably go pretty deep, that isn't topsoill is it?
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Those are crayfish holes. The ground underneath stays soggy. That is why her plants are not dong well. She should plant something there that likes "wet feet". There are plenty of flowering plants that like growing in marsh like conditions.
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Those are crayfish holes. The ground underneath stays soggy. That is why her plants are not dong well. She should plant something there that likes "wet feet". There are plenty of flowering plants that like growing in marsh like conditions.
She knows her stuff about what plants grow where. These are steep banks around the pond. Her plants do just fine except where the holes are.
Doing a little research, the little buggers like to eat roots. No wonder the flowers die around the holes. Naturally, there is no chemical control.
Looks like I need to make some traps. Just what I need.. another project.
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Yep. Growing up in South Louisiana, I can confirm those are crawfish holes.
Pretty hard to catch the suckers, but you can set traps. They'll come out at night to eat whatever gross meat you put in the traps.
Unless you have hundreds of those little holes, you probably don't have enough for a proper meal! :drool:
Good Luck!
Crash
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Yep. Growing up in South Louisiana, I can confirm those are crawfish holes.
Pretty hard to catch the suckers, but you can set traps. They'll come out at night to eat whatever gross meat you put in the traps.
Unless you have hundreds of those little holes, you probably don't have enough for a proper meal! :drool:
Good Luck!
Crash
Thanks for that, I was looking for confirmation.. didn't want to waste my time trying to catch crawdads when what I needed to catch was a snake or something else. :smiley:
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Thanks for that, I was looking for confirmation.. didn't want to waste my time trying to catch crawdads when what I needed to catch was a snake or something else. :smiley:
Chuckie , the famous crawdad hunter
Dusty
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Chuckie , the famous crawdad hunter
Dusty
Maybe I should start a "reality" show..
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Maybe I should start a "reality" show..
I was trying to plant the seed ...
Dusty
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Pretty hard to catch the suckers, but you can set traps. They'll come out at night to eat whatever gross meat you put in the traps.
Unless you have hundreds of those little holes, you probably don't have enough for a proper meal!
Unless you're hoping for a reliable food source here, it might be worth thinking about a two pronged attack, wherein you enlist the support of some aquatic predator that could get the young ones in the pond. Bluegills for example, but keep the number of adults down and provide cover for younger fish, they're the ones that will clean up the little crayfish before they start burrowing. Gradual results are better than immediate extinction, you want a stable predator population that can take care of crayfish that will continue to re-infest the pond. Pond owners in your area will have better information about what works. I hope you don't have ducks or geese in there, my guess is that makes it a lot harder.
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Unless you're hoping for a reliable food source here, it might be worth thinking about a two pronged attack, wherein you enlist the support of some aquatic predator that could get the young ones in the pond. Bluegills for example, but keep the number of adults down and provide cover for younger fish, they're the ones that will clean up the little crayfish before they start burrowing. Gradual results are better than immediate extinction, you want a stable predator population that can take care of crayfish that will continue to re-infest the pond. Pond owners in your area will have better information about what works. I hope you don't have ducks or geese in there, my guess is that makes it a lot harder.
Well, I had hybrid bluegills and bass, but the blue herons and snapping turtles have pretty much cleaned out all the big ones. :rolleyes: I've dispatched the turtles, but herons are protected. So far. :cool: I'm seriously considering draining the pond and starting over..
Or filling it in. :evil:
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http://stevecreek.com/crawdad-chimney/
Maybe try crawdad gardening?
(https://d3vjk4jagnknqc.cloudfront.net/uploads/2013/05/Celebrating-Crayfish-party-2048x1509.jpg)
:food:
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Some fishing line strung over the pond is supposed to make herons uncomfortable, if it's where they might run into it while flying in or out.
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Some fishing line strung over the pond is supposed to make herons uncomfortable, if it's where they might run into it while flying in or out.
Never have heard of that one, thanks. :thumb:
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Yes, those are crawfish. No, gasoline is not something we want in the water table.
Crustaceans are exquisitely sensitive to:
Sevin insecticide (carbaryl).
Copper sulfate.
Most synthetic pyrethroids (resmethrin, permethrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, etc.)
None of that is legal, technically (but I am no longer in the pesticide-regulation business) but all of it is less toxic than gasoline. Copper and sulfur are normal components of many soils. Fish are far less sensitive to copper than crustacean, if that is an issue. Fish are very sensitive to pyrethroid insecticides, also.
Email me for more info if you need it.
Good luck,
C
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Yes, those are crawfish. No, gasoline is not something we want in the water table.
Crustaceans are exquisitely sensitive to:
Sevin insecticide (carbaryl).
Copper sulfate.
Most synthetic pyrethroids (resmethrin, permethrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, etc.)
None of that is legal, technically (but I am no longer in the pesticide-regulation business) but all of it is less toxic than gasoline. Copper and sulfur are normal components of many soils. Fish are far less sensitive to copper than crustacean, if that is an issue. Fish are very sensitive to pyrethroid insecticides, also.
Email me for more info if you need it.
Good luck,
C
Alrighty now.. Thanks, Cam. I knew there'd be someone on WG with the definitive answer. I have copper sulphate for the occasional algae bloom from farm field fertilizer runoff. Normally my windmill hooked to a couple of aeration stones keeps it clear, though, so a use for it would be good.
PM sent shortly.. :smiley:
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None of that is legal, technically (but I am no longer in the pesticide-regulation business) but all of it is less toxic than gasoline.
Cool, better than gasoline. It's a shame that in the USA it could be "technically" illegal to poison your own land, with stuff that after all beats the gasoline we'd otherwise be pouring in the soil.
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Cool, better than gasoline. It's a shame that in the USA it could be "technically" illegal to poison your own land, with stuff that after all beats the gasoline we'd otherwise be pouring in the soil.
If you could guarantee that it would stay on your land, and if there were some way to make sure any future buyer of your land is informed of what you dumped on it, then maybe I'd agree with your sentiment.
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If you could guarantee that it would stay on your land, and if there were some way to make sure any future buyer of your land is informed of what you dumped on it, then maybe I'd agree with your sentiment.
Well, It's not like I'm going to be making a nuclear waste dump here. :smiley: Copper Sulphate is approved to put in ponds to control algae, for instance. Cam is *very* knowledgeable on use of pesticides and herbicides. He'll give me a method that is safe.
Getting to be about time for my annual contribution to WG. The things I've learned here are priceless.. :thumb:
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He'll give me a method that is safe.
And legal, I would hope.
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And legal, I would hope.
Don't doubt Cam's ability, Dr Bug is the man.
Dean
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Chuck, you've received a bunch of info, don't rule out really small aliens.....
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Chuck, you've received a bunch of info, don't rule out really small aliens.....
D'oh! Sometimes, you can't see the forest for the trees..
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I think crawdad is a true southern expression. In NC they call them crayfish...not a damn thing fishy about them but the smell. Amazing creatures that can live in raw sewage...think about that the next time you want to suck on one.
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Some fishing line strung over the pond is supposed to make herons uncomfortable, if it's where they might run into it while flying in or out.
That sounds illegal, and downright cruel
kinda like someone tying a rope across a road, and waiting for a motorcyclist to come by
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The idea is to use visible line with ribbon stringers -- nobody wants to hurt the birds. They won't get in the landing pattern if the approach isn't clear. :smiley:
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The idea is to use visible line with ribbon stringers -- nobody wants to hurt the birds. They won't get in the landing pattern if the approach isn't clear. :smiley:
Yeah , birds are really pretty smart . Well , except for those two honkers that kept circling my house last night , seems their much vaunted ability to find water to rest up overnight was absent in these two :shocked: The neighborhood dog who was hanging out on our porch thought he was gonna have goose for dinner :grin:
Dusty
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So is it legal to clothesline herons?
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The idea is to use visible line with ribbon stringers -- nobody wants to hurt the birds. They won't get in the landing pattern if the approach isn't clear.
Well, honestly I believe the attraction of fishing line in particular is that they can't see for sure where it is. If it's low to the water, I think the effect is served pretty well without much real danger to the bird.
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I can tell you that there is no better bait for bass than crayfish! They can be devilish with yourine, but chances are they won't get far if there's a hungry fish nearby. I don't think they'd be that hard to lure into a baited trap.