Nesting boxes

Vespa crabro, the European hornet, and V. orientalis are the most important species of the genus Vespa in Europe, Asia and Africa, and V. crabro has also been imported in the USA. These species are much larger than other vespids (fig. 2e). They build their nest mostly above ground, in hollow tree trimks or in birds nest boxes. Stings occur almost exclusively near the nests. 

Kendall RJ, Brewer LW, Lacher TEJ, Whitten ML, Marden BT. 1989. The use of starling nest boxes for field reproductive studies. Institute of Wildlife Toxicology. EPA/600/ 8789/056. National Technical Information Services publication number PB89 195 028/AS, i-vii + 82 pp. 

Specifications for nest box placement and predator guards should also be included. Specifics of nest box placement will depend on the behavior of avian species being monitored. Inter-box distances and orientation to test areas are two parameters that may vary widely with the organism being smdied. Predators vary from area to area, and if nest boxes are near tree canopies, predation from above may in fact be the dominant route of predator intrusion rather than the standard access from the ground. 

Nesting box bark mulch rain barrel to collect and recycle rainwater. 

Every creature needs somewhere safe to rest, sleep, and breed, so it makes sense to provide some shelter for the wildlife in your garden. This may be in the form of a custom-built home, such as a nest box (see pp.112-113), or more everyday organic garden features such as compost piles, mulches, and log piles. Many creatures will make their home in or under a hedge. 

The first one was made in a concrete basin, 7 m long, 1.5 m wide and 1.6 m deep (Figure 5), in which 4 to 8 muskrats were kept. Nest boxes were made in the corners and two counting cages were placed on a raft near the middle of the basin. Animals visiting the cages were counted mechanically by a device attached to a flap which could swing in both directions. 

Artificial refuges nesting boxes for birds piles of stones and branches as places for insects, arachnids, small mammals and reptiles to spend the winter perches for birds of prey. 

Hang up nesting boxes for blue-tits and coal-tits. 

PREVENTIVE. Establishment of nesting boxes for tits (especially coal-tits). 

Mammals are often overlooked for their pest-control abilities. For example, in Canadian forests, shrews control larch sawflies and other pests. Lizards and toads are important natural enemies of pest insects, and snakes can help control problems with mice and voles. In many communities in Europe and North America, farmers encourage birds to control pests by placing nesting boxes around their fields. Even domesticated animals can assist in pest control. If you have a small orchard and keep chickens, let the chickens feed in the orchard. They will peck pests such as plum curculios out of dropped fruit and other ground litter. 

Kendall, R.J., L.W. Brewer, T.E. Lacher, M.I. Whitten, and R.T. Marden. 1989. The use of starling nest boxes for field reproductive studies Provisional guidance document and technical support document. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA 600/8-89/056. 

Figure 8.45. Sketch of a continued-fraction model for a polyethylene sample during isothermal crystallization and a couphng factor c = 0.4. The widths of the nested boxes are proportional to the numbers of crystalhne lamellae showing the indicated degree of agglomeration (from left solos, duos, trios,...)...

If you have only a roof terrace or balcony and no room for trees or climbers, grow a mixture of flowering plants (with single flowers rather than double) to provide a source of nectar for insects such as butterflies, moths, and bees. You could also fill a shallow dish with water to make a bird bath, attach a lightweight bird feeder to a window, or fix a nesting box to a wall at least six feet off the ground. 

Watch your birds every day for signs of ill-health, for example, hens that keep their heads down, eyes closed or refuse to eat, drink, or lay. Check their feed and contact a vet if signs persist. Only treat birds for parasites, such as worms or lice, as they occur. If you are keeping chickens for their eggs, watch out for broody behavior—birds that are reluctant to leave their nest box or become angry when they are disturbed. Remove any eggs and shut them out of their nest box for a few days. 

Hen house A ventilated hen house or coop provides nesting boxes for laying and a place to roost at night, safe from predators. Line the nest boxes with clean straw, and ensure they are in a dark area—hens like dark, secret places to lay their eggs. Clean out the house once a week. Use gloves and a scraper to clean off the droppings and disinfect the floor. Dust for lice every three weeks. If you have broody or new hens, it s a good idea to have another hen house, or section off one area, to separate them for a while. 

Alternatively, you can stand a nest box on its side, line it with straw, and position it so that it is sheltered trom wind, rain, and sun. 

The most serious problem, Erlenmeyer emphasized, was that Kolbe s hierarchical formulas were empirically deficient. For instance, compare the eighteen-carbon stearic acid with the two-carbon acetic acid. The two substances have very different properties, though by Kolbe s reckoning they are both built upon the same dominant carbon atom. Just as problematical, Kolbe had to assume that in the stearic acid molecule there exist eighteen distinctly different carbon atoms. Then, in a sarcastic aside, Erlenmeyer noted that if stearic acid were to be written in Kolbe s style with radicals of decreasing size enclosed in nested boxes, one would need a microscope to see the methyl group at the end of the molecule. To put it simply, Erlenmeyer concluded "Kolbe has remained a type theorist while most other chemists have abandoned the type standpoint." ... 

Fecal material from captive rabbits and foxes was collected within one hour of excretion and frozen until required. Rabbits were maintained on a standard laboratory rabbit diet (Economy Rabbit Diet Special Diet Services Witham, Essex, UK). Foxes were maintained on a diet of rodents, chicks and rabbits. Approximately Ig of fecal material was defrosted on ice as required and smeared onto a 2cm piece of plastic-backed card (BenchGuard Bibby Sterilin Ltd, Staffs, UK) which was placed in nest boxes during trials. Distilled water was used as a non-odor control and was presented as lOOpl spots of distilled water on a 2cm piece of BenchGuard. 

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