Garden

[nougat]

Interesting.  We have a bird (?woodpecker) pecking at our house on our bedroom wall.

he did it last year and i just looked after hearing him again and there were 5 or 6 holes!

why on earth would a bird peck at your house???

any thoughts?

we also have a major stink bug problem all year round!

any thoughts?

thanks!

[2blonde]

@nougat  When woodpeckers peck (usually on a tree, of course) it's because they are trying to get to the bugs that are in there.......that is their dinner.  That's why it's never a good sign when you see one on a tree, because the tree may have a bad infestation.  I think you should have your house checked for insects!

[Tabbycat]

We have a pesky mockingbird. He is still around, I see him at the neighbors sometimes attacking their car windshield, but he doesn't attack my windows and screens anymore. It's been 2 summers now, I got some bird tape and tied it in long strips in a few areas (on my hanging flower pot chains) on my porch. No more mockingbird attacks and no more bird doo on my railing. I found it at amazon but think a hardward store may carry it. 

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[Lyttlewyng]

Perhaps using a couple of those expandable faux ivy privacy fences that QVC sells? M55380

For a short term, placing them in front of the outside of the window may help to have the bird move elsewhere.  After that you could use the fence elsewhere on your property.

[JustJazzmom]

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@nougatwrote:

Interesting.  We have a bird (?woodpecker) pecking at our house on our bedroom wall.

he did it last year and i just looked after hearing him again and there were 5 or 6 holes!

why on earth would a bird peck at your house???

any thoughts?

we also have a major stink bug problem all year round!

any thoughts?

thanks!

---

In addition to pecking for insects, they do it to make noise for a mate. I had a woodpecker that pecked on the gutter by our patio. 

Stink bugs can be vacuumed up in the vacuum bag & then disposed into the trash.

[Kachina624]

Does anyone know if this bird tape would work for swallows?  I have a clan that returns to nest each summer over my front entrance, leaving a pile of poop right where people walk to the front door.  They raise two broods so they're here a long time.

[Tabbycat]

Hi @Kachina624  I think there's a great chance this bird tape will keep your swallows away. That must be maddening!  For less than $10, it would be worth a try.

It keeps ALL birds off my porch and I live in the woods of NC. HTH

I did a quick google.....

Bird Repellent Tape

Bird repellent tape is also known as a multi-sensory attack that is used to scare the swallow birds. It is a sound tape that makes a sound when it flaps and moves in wind or air. It not only scares the swallows but also irritates them and encourages them to leave the treated areas. It is the most extremely effective known bird scare tape. This repellent tape is easily available at any nearby superstore at cheap rates. It is a long lasting solution to get rid of swallows. It works very simply and easily. The sunlight reflects the material of tape and irritates the birds. When it moves to, and fro in the wind, it makes char metallic sounds. This tape repellent is mostly used in open areas such as farms and other agriculture sites. It is also used to protect your property and agriculture fields from the destruction of other birds.

[nougat]

@JustJazzmom

I have tried vacuuming them but then they release their AWEFUL stink in the bag and the whole room gets the smell for a while.  Always just put them back out window until this year, they just come back. Now put in toilet and spray with tub cleaner to kill. 

Ugh, it's a DAILY ROUTINE!  

[JustJazzmom]

@nougat I know they are a definite problem in parts of the US. Make sure all windows & doors are properly caulked & all openings around your home are sealed. I saw one inside my basement one year a few years ago crawling on the tile floor, I picked it up & flushed it down. Never saw another one again.

Fast forward a few years — stopped along a scenic view on Skyline Drive in VA. We stepped out & the area was crawling with them all over the sign describing the scenery. We quickly got back into the car & shooed them outside from our clothing!

[Kachina624]

Yuck to the stink bugs.  The only ones I've ever seen were at my sister's house in suburban Philly.  I read somewhere they they are thought to have arrived in a shipment from overseas in Allentown, Pa.  The US Dept of Agriculture wasn't on the ball that day.