April 2019 – Page 7 – Mws R Writings

Make Your Own Carpenter Bee Trap

They do too much damage to our house, tree house and swing set each year for me to be on good terms with them. I’ve read article after article that says they only go after non-treated, rotting wood, but that hasn’t been my experience at all.

See those holes? They were made by carpenter bees. That’s pressure treated lumber, and they started boring holes in it as soon as we finished building our tree house. They continue to bore new holes in it every spring.

When we built a new roof overhang over the basement a couple years ago, they bored holes through the new cedar supports, before we had a chance to finish them, and they continued to bore holes through them even after we stained them. They’re destructive creatures, I tell you.

So, several years back, my husband and I decided to build some carpenter bee traps to combat the problem. After a ton of research, we came up with our own design, and when we tested them, we couldn’t believe how well they worked.

Here’s a video of one of our carpenter bee traps in action.

How to Build a Carpenter Bee Trap

https://www.myfrugalhome.com/how-to-build-a-carpenter-bee-trap/

Tools Needed:

Circular saw (or a hand saw)
Drill
1/2″ wood bit
7/8″ wood bit
1/2″ metal bit
Square
Punch
Hammer
Tape measure
Screw driver
Pencil

Supplies Needed to Build a Carpenter Bee Trap

Materials Needed:

4×4 post (A scrap of one is fine. You just need seven inches.)
(1)Mason jar (half pint or a regular mouth pint)
(1)Screw eye
Wood screws

What You Do:

Step 1: Measure seven inches up from the end of your 4×4. Then, draw a 45-degree angle that radiates down from this point.

Step 2: Use a circular saw or a hand saw to cut the angle that you just marked.

This will leave you with a block of wood that is seven-inches tall in the back and four-inches tall in the front.

Drill a Hole through the Center of the 4x4

Step 3: Flip your 4×4 piece over, so that the flat bottom is facing up, and mark its center. Then, drill a 7/8-inch hole at the center point that is approximately 4-inches deep. Take care to keep your hole straight.

Step 4: Now, mark the location of your entry holes on the four sides of your block. Each hole should be two inches from the bottom and one and three-quarter inches from each side. Use your 1/2-inch wood bit to make your holes at an upward 45-degree angle. Continue drilling until your hole connects with the hole that you drilled from the bottom. Then, repeat with the remaining holes.

Here’s what your block should look like at this point.

Step 5: Unscrew the lid from your jar, and lay it on a piece of scrap lumber or a heavy metal plate. Find the center of your lid and mark it. Then, divide the distance between the center hole and the lip to find and mark the spots that you’ll use to screw the jar to the trap. Use a punch to make your holes.

Drill a Hole Through the Center of the Jar Lid

Step 6: Use a 1/2-inch metal bit to make the center hole larger. Leave the other holes as is.

Step 7: Stick the lid back inside its ring, and screw the lid onto the bottom of your trap, taking care to make sure the 1/2-inch hole on your lid lines up with the 7/8-inch hole at the base of your trap.

Step 8: Add a screw eye to the top of your trap and hang.

How the Trap Works:

Carpenter bees discover one of the outer holes and crawl inside it to lay eggs. Once inside, the 45-degree tunnel casts their entry point in the shadows. They see light coming up from the hole at the base of the trap, and move towards it, assuming it’s the exit. Instead of finding their way out, they find themselves in the jar, and can’t figure out how to get back out. Victory!

We hang our traps where we’re seeing carpenter bee activity. Then, we treat the holes they’ve bored with Spectracide Termite Killing Foam (it’s formulated for carpenter bees, too). Afterwards, we fill the holes in with caulk or wooden dowels. If we’re short on time, we just cram a stick up the holes until we have time to make a more permanent fix. But it’s definitely important to block the holes right away because it forces the bees, who weren’t in their nests when you sprayed, to go in search of new nesting sites, and it also kills the larvae they’ve laid, so you don’t have more bees hatching out next year. Carpenter bees will build their nests in existing holes, if they can find them, so if you have a trap full of carpenter bee-sized holes hanging near by, they’re likely to crawl inside to check it out, and when they do, you’ll have them trapped.

Note: Spectracide now also sells Carpenter Bee and Ground Nesting Yellow Jacket Killer Foam. It has the same active ingredients as the termite foam, so use whichever one you’re able to find.

Cat Facts~

Unlike dogs, cats do not have a sweet tooth. Scientists believe this is due to a mutation in a key taste receptor._[5]
When a cat chases its prey, it keeps its head level. Dogs and humans bob their heads up and down._[10]
The technical term for a cat’s hairball is a “bezoar.”_[7]
A group of cats is called a “clowder.”_[8]
A cat can’t climb head first down a tree because every claw on a cat’s paw points the same way. To get down from a tree, a cat must back down._[10]
Cats make about 100 different sounds. Dogs make only about 10._[10]
Every year, nearly four million cats are eaten in Asia._[9]
There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, with approximately 40 recognized breeds._[12]
Approximately 24 cat skins can make a coat._[6]
While it is commonly thought that the ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats, the oldest known pet cat was recently found in a 9,500-year-old grave on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This grave predates early Egyptian art depicting cats by 4,000 years or more._[8]
During the time of the Spanish Inquisition, Pope Innocent VIII condemned cats as evil and thousands of cats were burned. Unfortunately, the widespread killing of cats led to an explosion of the rat population, which exacerbated the effects of the Black Death._[8]
During the Middle Ages, cats were associated with withcraft, and on St. John’s Day, people all over Europe would stuff them into sacks and toss the cats into bonfires. On holy days, people celebrated by tossing cats from church towers._[8]
The first cat in space was a French cat named Felicette (a.k.a. “Astrocat”) In 1963, France blasted the cat into outer space. Electrodes implanted in her brains sent neurological signals back to Earth. She survived the trip._[8]
The group of words associated with cat (catt, cath, chat, katze) stem from the Latin catus, meaning domestic cat, as opposed to feles, or wild cat._[3]
The term “puss” is the root of the principal word for “cat” in the Romanian term pisica and the root of secondary words in Lithuanian (puz) and Low German puus. Some scholars suggest that “puss” could be imitative of the hissing sound used to get a cat’s attention. As a slang word for the female pudenda, it could be associated with the connotation of a cat being soft, warm, and fuzzy._[11]
Approximately 40,000 people are bitten by cats in the U.S. annually._[8]
Cats are North America’s most popular pets: there are 73 million cats compared to 63 million dogs. Over 30% of households in North America own a cat._[8]
According to Hebrew legend, Noah prayed to God for help protecting all the food he stored on the ark from being eaten by rats. In reply, God made the lion sneeze, and out popped a cat._[10]
A cat’s hearing is better than a dog’s. And a cat can hear high-frequency sounds up to two octaves higher than a human._[1]
A cat can travel at a top speed of approximately 31 mph (49 km) over a short distance._[1]

Word of the Week(Unusual)

agastopia

n. – admiration of a particular part of someone’s body

Example sentences

“This agastopia I have for your neck renders me insensate.”

“Have you ever noticed his agastopia? He cannot raise his eyes above waist level when a particularly callipygian woman walks by.”

Hello~

Hope everybody is having a good day! I am loving the sunshine in my own neck of the woods…had been raining, almost daily. I know we need rain, especially if you are like me and have a garden but a break is really appreciated as well.

I have done some things lately with and to my site. I have changed the theme, again, and I like doing that.I think it freshens up the mundane of it all. I do the same with furniture around my house. Never have liked the same ole, same ole, and often change things up a bit. My family has adapted to it all through the years and probably aren’t very surprised to see me doing it anymore. I have always been this way and it has helped me I think, preserve my sanity.

I just wanted to say hello and to let everyone know that I wish you all happiness, love, understanding, forgiveness, and a thankful heart.

I shall see you on this side of the rainbow!!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle, aka MwsR

Promote Yourself ~Link Share

Feel free to post a link of your own here-https://godoggocafe.com/2019/04/22/promote-yourself-monday-april-22-2019/comment-page-1/?unapproved=20703&moderation-hash=1fce7eac771b66695c9bc760a9e0ace6#comment-20703 or on my post you are reading!

This is an opportunity to be read by countless readers. You should find something you feel is worthy to share and post its link on this post or with the Link above.

Inflammation~ Foods

The Most Inflammatory Foods You Can Put in Your Body

Food can be a source of inflammation through allergens, bacteria or other toxins. The body can also see foods that “don’t agree” with its biochemistry which causes your whole body to start attacking these “foreign invaders,” thus causing more inflammation in the bloodstream, Sadie Wells, RD, LDN, CPT, says.

Similarly, she adds, eating unhealthy food is like having a chronic infection that triggers an immune response which then causes inflammation.

Generally speaking, a diet high in trans-fatty acids, saturated fats, sugar and refined carbohydrates contributes to chronic inflammation, Nicole Simonin, a health and fitness expert at Shape it Up, says.

Any food that your body is intolerant or allergic to can also be a significant source of inflammation, and low-grade inflammation is a factor in most health issues

Sugar

Ask any nutritionists and the answer will be the same: Sugar is the worst offender. “Excess sugar intake raises our pro-inflammatory cytokine levels while suppressing our germ-killing white blood cells, weakening the immune system,” Wells says.

Even natural sugar (in excess)

Although less of a concern, too much sugar, even the natural sugar from fruit, could be too much (usually if combined with other sugar-laden foods) and can cause inflammation, Wells says. “Some research suggests avoiding nightshade vegetables—tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant—due to the compound called solanine, to help reduce arthritis symptoms,” she adds

Trans fats

Trans fat which are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils or shortening are still top of the list for inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and arthritis, Simonin says. “In our American diets, the main source of trans fats is in shortening.” Manufacturers typically use this in fast foods as well as fried foods, sweets, and baked goods, she adds.

Omega-6 oil

Omega-6 oils such as corn, safflower, and sunflower are not bad if used in moderation, but a typical American diet ingests too many omega-6 oils which can cause inflammatory responses in the body, Simonin says

Grilled meats

Most meats/animals are fed an unnatural, grain-based diet which makes them gain weight faster and contain higher amounts of saturated fats and Omega-6’s, Wells says. “Various processing technologies, cooking techniques, such as grilling, can further promote inflammation by increased hormone levels, antibiotic resistance, and other carcinogens (AGE’s=advanced glycation end products),” she adds.

Highly processed oils

The worst types of oils are the highly processed oils such as hydrogenated and partial hydrogenated oils such as soybean, corn and canola oils, Simonin says. Because these oils have become processed by hydrogenation this oil can convert to trans fat.

Vegetable oil

Albeit from vegetables, vegetable oils are unnatural in large amounts and are processed/made by pressing, heating, and uses various industrial chemicals and highly toxic solvents, Wells says. “Additionally, vegetable oils are high in Omega-6 fatty acids and can cause inflammation when we consume too many of them.”

Additives

Additives such as artificial colors, BHT and nitrates are among many that are a cause for concern, Simonin says. “Many of these additives have been banned in other countries, but the FDA continues to consider them ‘acceptable’ for U.S. consumption.”

Certain breads

Processed bread are stripped of their nutrients so aiming for whole grain breads with fiber will help decrease the inflammatory response, Simonin says.

Dairy

Depending on the person, Simonin says, dairy could be a large contributor of inflammation. “But it depends on to what degree they react to dairy.” Furthermore, Wells adds, dairy can also be inflammatory due to high amounts of saturated fats and most commercially produced dairy products lack significant amounts of beneficial bacteria.

Artificial sweeteners

While some artificial sweeteners are derived from natural substances, they are still synthetically made sugars, Simonin says. “Our body does not know what to do with the chemicals.” The long-term health of using these substances is still undetermined as to whether they cause inflammation, illness or diseases, she adds. According to Wells, artificial sweeteners are known to disrupt the gut microbiome, causing a reduction in good gut bacteria, which in turn allows the bad gut bacteria to proliferate

Soda

They are chemically enhanced. Soda is slowly killing you. The body is actually worse off after consuming soda because it is depleted of important macronutrients. A Harvard study found that people who drink even one can of soda a day significantly increase their risk of chronic heart disease (CHD). “Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with increased risk of CHD and some adverse changes in lipids, inflammatory factors, and leptin,” researchers found.

Refined carbs

Research suggests that they promote an inflammatory microbiota, and may be the primary dietary cause of leptin resistance and obesity

Baked goods

They are still made with flour and have processed carbs that will increase your blood sugar levels. White or wheat flours are basically the same as far as diabetics are concerned. Most bakeries cook with hydrogenated oil, a kind of trans fat, instead of butter.

Favored yogurt

You would think yogurt would be healthy for you, but depending on the brand, you might be ingesting artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, dairy and fake fruit in that one little cup, Simonin says. Flavored yogurts are the ones with too much sugar and artificial ingredients.

Deli meats

Processed meats such as deli meats are your worst offenders, Simonin says. Look for non-processed meats with minimal ingredients and grass-fed beef. “If we eat healthier animals, we, in turn, may be able to decrease inflammation response.” Eating grass-fed beef also increases your omega-3 fats (as opposed to grain-fed cows), she adds. “Cattle were never meant to eat corn and soy which is what most grain-fed cattle are given.”

Processed foods

“Processed foods generally contain elevated levels of refined sugars and grains/flours, are high in trans fats from hydrogenated vegetable oils, contain artificial ingredients and emulsifiers, and lack fiber and other important nutrients that actually help to fight inflammation,” Wells says.

Refined flour

Refined flours lack fiber which contributes to slowing the digestion and absorption of glucose, Wells says. “A slower release of glucose into the bloodstream also reduces the release of insulin, a hormone associated with a pro-inflammatory response in the body.”

Cereals

The culprits are the sugar and artificial sweeteners. This is not the best breakfast option. Cereals with marshmallows and chocolate puffs are obviously high in sugar, but just how much sugar may surprise you. The Environmental Working Group examined the sugar content of 84 bowls of cereal and found 54 of them contained more than 24 to 26 percent sugar by weight. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks, at 55.6 percent sugar, was the worst.

Candy

Candy falls in what Wells calls the “chemical storms” category. Candy is not a staple food and should never be perceived as anything more than a treat. Even when consumed occasionally and in small portions, they can cause a lot of harm. The sugar, artificial additives, trans fats…nothing in these treats us healthy.

Coffee drinks

They are also on Wells’ “chemical storm” list. Fancy coffee beverages have loads of sugar coming from the added milk or creamer, and too many calories. For example, one grande Caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks contains 66g of sugar.

Too much alcohol

Chronic inflammation is often associated with alcohol-related medical conditions. Heavy alcohol consumption contributes to systemic inflammation by interfering with the body’s natural defenses against the influx of gut microbiota and its products, research shows. The Most Inflammatory Foods You Can Put in Your Body Food can be a source of inflammation through allergens, bacteria or other toxins. The body can also see foods that “don’t agree” with its biochemistry which causes your whole body to start attacking these “foreign invaders,” thus causing more inflammation in the bloodstream, Sadie Wells, RD, LDN, CPT, says.
Similarly, she adds, eating unhealthy food is like having a chronic infection that triggers an immune response which then causes inflammation.
Generally speaking, a diet high in trans-fatty acids, saturated fats, sugar, and refined carbohydrates contributes to chronic inflammation, Nicole Simonin, a health and fitness expert at Shape it Up, says.

Slide 1 of 23: Food can be a source of inflammation through allergens, bacteria or other toxins. The body can also see foods that "don't agree" with its biochemistry which causes your whole body to start attacking these "foreign invaders," thus causing more inflammation in the bloodstream, Sadie Wells, RD, LDN, CPT, says.Similarly, she adds, eating unhealthy food is like having a chronic infection that triggers an immune response which then causes inflammation.Generally speaking, a diet high in trans-fatty acids, saturated fats, sugar and refined carbohydrates contributes to chronic inflammation, Nicole Simonin, a health and fitness expert at Shape it Up, says.Any food that your body is intolerant or allergic to can also be a significant source of inflammation; and low grade inflammation is a factor in most health issues. — https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/the-most-inflammatory-foods-you-can-put-in-your-body/ss-AAyoH9s?ocid=spartandhp&fullscreen=true#image=1

Month: April 2019

Make Your Own Carpenter Bee Trap