AI6YR BenMar 1
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
Show threadAI6YR BenMar 1
Way too hot now, so deployed the heatwave tarp (metallic woven mesh, aluminet). Let's air through but reduces UV and sunlight. #aluminet #heatwaves
Show threadAI6YR BenMar 1
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
Show threadAI6YR BenMar 1
Garden bed. Needs a lot more soil, and sides. Arugula has gone bitter, too hot. #gardening
Show threadAI6YR BenMar 1
Sunlight levels outside the aluminet (20.5), in shade (17), under aluminet (19). Don't know what that is in lumens or percentages. #shade
Show threadAI6YR BenMar 1
Massive, ugly grubs in the soil here. These hatch out to become green beetles.. (apparently too big to be Japanese beetles... they are ugly though... and the big green beetles fly at your face when they hatch lol) . #gardening
Show threadDa_GutMar 1
@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.
Show threadAI6YR BenMar 1
@Da_Gut Thanks! Much larger for sure.
Show threadDa_GutMar 1

@ai6yr

This is a June bug. The red circle shows where the female just buried out of sight to lay the eggs which will change into the grubs. I had captured the mating sequence.
These guys are maybe an inch to an inch and a half long? They are a common site buzzing and circling above the grass in late summer. Though far rarer than they were when I was a child.

Show threadAI6YR Ben
@Da_Gut Ah., very similar, I think the only difference is the location (June bugs not in California).
Mar 1 at 9:53pmWeb
Show threadDa_GutMar 1
@ai6yr looking online may Beatles look very similar, but are far more destructive to yards. I do not know if they are found in California