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   AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:29 JST AI6YR Ben

   Building up the sides of an existing garden bed, and putting on a squirrel discouraging top of some sort. Calendula, arugula, a few assorted edible weeds. Original bottom is pallet wood. Two current issues here I am fixing: not deep enough for soil, squirrels. Last year I walked out here and there were 6 squirrels UNDER the squirrel "proof" cover. #gardening

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:26 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Da_Gut
     • Crispy Branzino

     @Nimbius666 @Da_Gut LOL my son would love chickens in the backyard. As would the coyotes, owls, rats, raccoons, and Red Tail Hawks! 🤪

     Steve's Place repeated this.
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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:26 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Da_Gut
     • Crispy Branzino

     @Nimbius666 @Da_Gut AHA!

     It's certainly this one... Cotinis mutabilis, the figeater beetle. There are a ton of them here, because they are attracted by a large tree I have a grape growing in.

     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figeater_beetle

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     Crispy Branzino (nimbius666@comp.lain.la)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:27 JST Crispy Branzino

     in reply to

     • Da_Gut
     @Da_Gut @ai6yr it is time to get chickens.
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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:29 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     Way too hot now, so deployed the heatwave tarp (metallic woven mesh, aluminet). Let's air through but reduces UV and sunlight. #aluminet #heatwaves

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:29 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     First Monarch of the season. It apparently hatched out inside a squirrel excluding garden bed, had to rescue it. Yes, it's on my hat, lol. #butterfly #Monarch #gardening

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:29 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     Garden bed. Needs a lot more soil, and sides. Arugula has gone bitter, too hot. #gardening

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:29 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     Sunlight levels outside the aluminet (20.5), in shade (17), under aluminet (19). Don't know what that is in lumens or percentages. #shade

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:29 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     Massive, ugly grubs in the soil here. These hatch out to become green beetles.. probably Japanese beetles (invasive, and a pest). #gardening

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     Da_Gut (da_gut@dice.camp)'s status on Monday, 02-Mar-2026 07:33:29 JST Da_Gut

     in reply to

     @ai6yr if they are largish green beetles, that sounds a lot more like what in Georgia we call June bugs. Which are native.
     Japanese beetles are much smaller - about the size of a dime, and brown.