Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[bigmrg74]

I saw this idea for a horse fly trap on Facebook yesterday. Looks simple enough to put together, other than I would need a table saw for those angled cuts on it.

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July 30 at 9:27am ·

Built a horsefly trap 3 days ago. Day 1 killed 146 horseflies. Day 2 killed 375! We either have a terrible horsefly problem or it's a great trap.
UPDATE: The 7 day total was 1,697 Horseflies killed! They are big (1" long) and easy to count. They need to be cleaned out every day anyway so they won't rot. How it works is simple. Horseflies are visual hunters. From a distance the black bag looks like something to bite, they do a fly over and are deflected into the soapy water and drown within a few seconds.
UPDATE: I've added a couple of pics since many people have been sharing this and asking for plans. The leg configuration can be whatever you like. I just made mine so it would be easy to move and change the bag. One last tip: The plexiglass needs to be keep clean and free of scratches. We have high humidity here so I squeegy the dew off the plexiglass every morning. The 3rd pic is one day's catch! I've quit counting. ;-)
UPDATE: I just realized the pic of the HORSEFLIES was blurry so I replaced it with a clearer pic. Also added a 4th pic of the saw cuts in the 2x4 that holds the plexiglass. They are at 45 degree angles about an inch deep. The plexiglass fit tight enough that I didn't need to fasten it in any way. The bag I used was a 55 gallon trash bag from Sam's Club.
UPDATE: Make sure and set this in an open area where the horse flies can see it from a distance. You may need to move it around until you find the "sweet spot". Clean it out with a cat litter scoop or large slotted spoon. Also I would love it if you would pm me pics if you do built it.

 

[aart]

Quote: Yep, I did.......they didn't get it at first, but once one of them took the plunge, well you know, it was off to the races!

 

[rachelsflock]

That's probably the best place for those caterpillar guys. Where I was growing up in Iowa, around mid to late summer if you dared to sit in the grass under the trees they'd drop on you and you'd find them...I'd rather not remember those encounters texture wise. EW. I'm not sure what the big, green, semi-translucent, fat caterpillars were doing up in trees since I was sure they're called TOMATO caterpillars for a reason, but there you go.

 

[lovechicks1293]

oooohhh i HATE those kind of caterpillars......

 

[lovechicks1293]

here is a link for chicken names i really like: http://www.backyardchickenproject.com/the-essential-list-of-chicken-names/

 

[Candy442]

Then this...saw the frass first, then a nibbled tiny tomato, followed the leafless branches, found 3 of them on my 2 plants.

We found ONE monster tomato worm on our plant a few weeks ago...(I am sure there are more). Brett went to pick it off with a pair of pliers it was so huge. Well, I should have been video taping the session because the darn thing actually attacked Brett each time he tried to grab it! I have never seen one "defend" itself. Would have made a great YouTube video!

and yes, it went to the "birds"

 

[aart]

Quote: I love 'bugs'....they fascinate me, but I don't like touching them.
Used a small rag to grab them, was very squishy and wiggly, it immediately 'vomited'.......
.....and it was hard to get off the branch, had to kind of peel it off.
They were about 2-3 inches long....just thinking about it brings on a <shudder>.

 

[lovechicks1293]

I love 'bugs'....they fascinate me, but I don't like touching them. Used a small rag to grab them, was very squishy and wiggly, it immediately 'vomited'....... .....and it was hard to get off the branch, had to kind of peel it off. They were about 2-3 inches long....just thinking about it brings on a .

Totally the same way, I love looking at them, and few select ones I like touching and holding but, yes I'm not a total bug person

 

[RaZ]

You haven't lived until you have rescued a swarm of honey bees from a tree branch. Wearing nothing but shorts and sandals. While 20,000 disoriented bees walk all over you.

They were safely deposited in a new hive body with no stings or loss of bees. Then a beer was immediately opened and chugged.

 

[SunshineMary]

You haven't lived until you have rescued a swarm of honey bees from a tree branch.  Wearing nothing but shorts and sandals. While 20,000 disoriented bees walk all over you. 

They were safely deposited in a new hive body with no stings or loss of bees.  Then a beer was immediately opened and chugged.

*shudder* I think I'd rather just skip right to the beer part!