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notemason

(572 posts)
Fri Aug 30, 2024, 03:43 PM Aug 30

Climate change strikes; anyone else missing critters??

For the first time ever there are no wasps present this summer. The opossums that I feed to keep the ticks cleaned up are not to be found. No black snakes, no bears, no deer. Again, first time ever. I'm in foothills of Blue Ridge and I can only guess they've moved up higher in the mountains.

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Climate change strikes; anyone else missing critters?? (Original Post) notemason Aug 30 OP
Few butterflies or moths, no bumblebees or ladybugs Ponietz Aug 30 #1
Oh the ants notemason Aug 30 #2
Plenty of aunts. wendyb-NC Aug 30 #6
I blame Mosquito Joe IbogaProject Aug 30 #3
In the mountains, in the woods notemason Aug 30 #4
It's stark wendyb-NC Aug 30 #5
It truly is. notemason Aug 30 #7
I live in NW Georgia and we've had lots of butterflies this summer, those large japple Aug 31 #8
I have had Rebl2 Sep 2 #9
Frogs beesplease Oct 13 #10
Very few paper wasps this year here biophile Oct 20 #11
Forgot to mention - ANTS everywhere! biophile Oct 20 #12

notemason

(572 posts)
2. Oh the ants
Fri Aug 30, 2024, 03:50 PM
Aug 30

Have to wear long pants tucked into socks while in gardens. The ant bite is painful and he can bite several times. But I guess you know

IbogaProject

(3,518 posts)
3. I blame Mosquito Joe
Fri Aug 30, 2024, 04:32 PM
Aug 30

They are an anti mosquito outfit that sprays poison on peoples lawns. It is likely collapsing the food chain, as some wasps eat mosquitoes.

notemason

(572 posts)
4. In the mountains, in the woods
Fri Aug 30, 2024, 04:40 PM
Aug 30

no lawns to spray. Did find this:

But experts say their numbers have dwindled in 2024, and it isn't good news. Colder and wetter weather at the start of the summer season combined with climate change have had a global impact on wasp numbers.

notemason

(572 posts)
7. It truly is.
Fri Aug 30, 2024, 05:18 PM
Aug 30

Someone said something like we are the only species that would let the world burn because it would not be cost-effective to save.

japple

(10,280 posts)
8. I live in NW Georgia and we've had lots of butterflies this summer, those large
Sat Aug 31, 2024, 10:21 AM
Aug 31

black mason bees, birds out the wazoo, but no bumbles or honeybees. We've got bats, raccoons, lots of hawks and deer. Armadillos are up here in the foothills, too. Haven't seen any possums this year (except those killed by cars on the highway) or snakes. I belong to a snake identification page on FB and there are still plenty of snakes in GA.

Rebl2

(14,495 posts)
9. I have had
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 10:22 AM
Sep 2

plenty of ants in and outside my house. No crickets or grasshoppers, but lots of honey bees, wasps, bumblebees and some butterflies, and finally the lady bugs are showing up. We have had many hummingbirds and birds in general this summer. I must say, the last few days not as many birds because we have a hawk that’s been visiting the yard, well except the hummingbirds, they are still around.

biophile

(314 posts)
11. Very few paper wasps this year here
Sun Oct 20, 2024, 02:32 PM
Oct 20

SE PA. Used to see 2 dozen wasp nests in the barn; this year only 2. Also fewer wolf spiders and Japanese beetles.
But lots of mosquitoes and early on in the season-flies! Now lots of ticks.

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