Fall signs

[Rebel SS]

It's been a weird Summer....strange weather, drought, lousy gardens, etc. Anyone notice any other strange signs; ie critters, bugs etc?  If you believe the old weather tales about Winter predictions ya see in the Farmers Almanac, there are a couple things lately I've seen. Some of the things I've never seen around here are...the skwirrels. I've never seen so friggin' many in my life!!!! I've lived here 31 yrs, and I counted 10 in the backyard the other day. They're running all over my roof, hopping off the trees, chasing, chattering, going plain squirrely. Running down the steet, 4 or 5 at a time chasing each other. All day long. Skwirrels gone wild! Another sign I've see...spiders and webseverywhere.
Inside and out. Anyone have any other weird stuff right now?

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/20-signs-of-a-hard-winter-479

[mike89]

leaves are falling off the tree's already.. 

[Rebel SS]

leaves are falling off the tree's already..

Think a lot of that's cuz of the drought maybe....speaking of trees, those friggin' skwirrles been playing and climbing around in my Lilac BUSHES...!!!! I've never seen skwirrels climbing in bushes before, and never in my lilacs! Damned things are bustin' the branches off!  I think they must be smokin' or eatin' something......

[mike89]

yer right I'm thinking, and the tree rats are going nuts here too... 

[tangle tooth]

Seems like more spiders in the house earlier than normal.
We haven't seen any blue jays, orioles or robins.

[Bobberineyes]

The only thing that I noticed was the cotton,  it was a bad year for all the different trees but the cotton kept flying. I blew out the AC unit daily, got some out today even. Lots of squirrels also, had a little jittery red one taunting the Grey's yesterday.  Don't see them much here..

[mike89]

yes the spiders are getting nuts here too...  time to get the tempo out!!!!! 

[Boar]

Im hoping for a early fall

[mike89]

I'd be good with that!! 

[snow1]

Agreed Reb,also tree leaves turning,even mtn ash berries are orange already.

Squrriels? not around my place after being on furlough last summer ole snow put a huge dent in our neighborhood squrriel colony,any remaining alive have a serious limp.

[deadeye]

The biggest sign I see now is probably caused more by heat and dry conditions. The under brush is getting bare and the soft mast growth like ferns and grass is pretty much gone.  I probably will not have to mow some of the trails because after several passes with a wheeler there's not much left on the trails. 

[Rebel SS]

deadeye, how's it lookin' for berries and such? Long dried up?

[deadeye]

Rebel SS,
Hazel nuts are just falling and bears are after them.  Lots of Dogwood berries. Yesterday I saw dogwoods bent to the ground I assume by bears.  The raspberries were doing ok a few weeks ago. I didn't look for them.  Apples are poor not because of lack of rain but rather the late killing frost we had just as the blossoms came out.  Acorns are spotty. Both Red and White oak have some but not tons. 
Overall I'd say the dogwood berries are by far the best berry crop at this time.

[Rebel SS]

Thanks! My apple trees bear every other year, of course (Crabapple) but this year, half of the tree blossomed out, and it should have been a no apple year. Have half a tree of apples right now....odd! Never seen my tree do that in the 15 years I've had it. Birds aren't eating them either, which they normally would be.
(Robins seem to love 'em) Perhaps the Cooper hawks are keeping the birds away, don't see many songbirds.

[mike89]

my apple tree is the same, apples on the west side mostly... 

[Steve-o]

And I thought the surest sign of an early fall arrival was the availability of pumpkin latte everywhere. 

[mike89]

And I thought the surest sign of an early fall arrival was the availability of pumpkin latte everywhere. 

and that is already out there!!   

[Rebel SS]

I've been looking for pumpkin spice TP....

[Steve-o]

I've been looking for pumpkin spice TP....

You might have just given away a $1,000,000 idea.

[Rebel SS]

Story of my life.    Charmin could use it. "Enjoy the go and smell pumpkin fresh down there".....hmmm...or, pumpkin spice undies! "Peter peter pumpkin eater".... Whoops, there went another one.


https://www.delish.com/food-news/g3649/gross-pumpkin-spice-products/

[mike89]

Story of my life.    Charmin could use it. "Enjoy the go and smell pumpkin fresh down there".....hmmm...or, pumpkin spice undies! "Peter peter pumpkin eater".... Whoops, there went another one.


https://www.delish.com/food-news/g3649/gross-pumpkin-spice-products/

I'll pass on those!!   

[fishwidow]

And I thought the surest sign of an early fall arrival was the availability of pumpkin latte everywhere. 

Picked up this year’s first 12 pack of Oktoberfest last week.

[Dotch]

I should go check the hazelnuts deadeye. They flowered heavily for the first time this spring. Last time I was back there I didn't notice anything but I wasn't really looking either. The fruit & berries here for wildlife have been above normal. Aronia berries were thick. They'd make a mean jam if I had the time to do it. Mrs. Cheviot? Don't hold your breath. Nannyberries are loaded, crabapples & American cranberry too. Redosier dogwood and elderberry had lots of flowers so can safely assume they're loaded. Wild plum trees also had plentiful fruit. Usually the blackbirds get them long before we have a chance. glenn's blackbird control progam must be yielding dividends! 

[KEN W]

I have seen ants all over my ripening fruit trees. Especially plums. Also Hornets(Yellow Jackets) everywhere on my raspberries and plums as they start to ripen. Never seen this many. I saw on the weather that this area has had 36 days over 90 degrees when normal is 9.

Hopefully the heat is over. Temps in the 70's the next 2 weeks. Could still use some more rain.

[Rebel SS]

Well, looks like it was a good year here for the bees and honey...


https://www.kaaltv.com/rochester-minnesota-news/local-honey-harvest-season-begins-/6216594/?cat=10151

[glenn57]

i dont have any fruit trees, only ants i see are by my humming bird feeders and now wasp traps. i have ant control thingys by them and they seem to be working.

i have 2 wasp traps out and honestly i expected to be getting more then i am. maybe that time is coming yet.

last year i stopped at a friends house and they had honey bees all over these sedum flowers. she gave me one and i bought 2 more. there not quite blooming yet, but my wife bought this purple colored flower that looks very similar to a sedum that had all kins of yellow jackets and honey bees on it a week ago!!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

My Sedums almost always turn the last week in August, it's uncanny. Think I saw a slight tinge of maroon yday on a few. When they do turn, they're loaded with bumbles. They love 'em, and that's great, 'cuz we are losing bees like crazy due to disease and insecticides. Anything that helps 'em I do. Pic from last year.

[snow1]

Agreed with our fall bee activety starting,this is the time of year "hornets" become agreesive as well(some call em yellow jackets),in my yard they feed heavy on my apple tree's,burrow in bird pecking holes on the fruit,then I'll stumble on (step on) one of they're ground hives,that's a wake up call,little some beeches get all pissed off,this ole fart can't move fast enough to escape they're wrath.

[Steve-o]

Watching the little bumbles on the sedums was how I taught my kids not to be afraid of bees.  They are downright docile when they are sipping on that nectar.

And then had to teach them the difference between wasps, hornets, and bees.

[snow1]

Watching the little bumbles on the sedums was how I taught my kids not to be afraid of bees.  They are downright docile when they are sipping on that nectar.

And then had to teach them the difference between wasps, hornets, and bees.

Good on you steve-o....

Then don't forget the big meanies...