Thursday, December 2, 2010

Attacked!

The Flat Tire is now at DEFCON 1!
All forces have been assembled!
The Flat Tire Perimeter Defense System(FTPDS) has been activated!
I came home today and went out to water the cactus newbies and this is what I found:



They're coming over the wire!
Full breach!
Broken Arrow! Broken Arrow!
Or something.
Okay, I'm not ready to call in the air strike just yet.
Maybe.
Whatever or whomever also go a piece of the opuntia:



Boy, that really bums me out!
Interesting how the top got cut off/eaten/attacked.
A couple of the pots were just empty:



Now, I don't know what did this.
When I first got the cactus plants, I had a sneaking suspicion that something was nibbling on them.
One of the larger transplants I got from the plant place had some little pieces missing, though I couldn't imagine anything doing it.
Pokey things don't you know.
I mean you would have to get past the pokey things to take a bite out of the cactus body.
Not on these new recruits though.
So little, so nice and soft and tender.
Bite sized morsels of mini-cactus delight.
The usual suspect:



Picture and info can be found here.
Them bulbuls eat like everything!
I mean they munch on Hawaiian chili peppers, and let me tell you, them things ain't exactly tame.
The Hawaiian chili peppers I mean.
Well, the bulbuls too.



Thank you College of Tropical Agriculture for the image.
Now if them bulbuls can eat chili peppers, they for sure can eat some pokey cacti.
Besides, one of the little pots was turned over on the ground like something had perched on it.
Then again, due to the wet weather we've been having, it's possible some small furry rodents have been visiting my lanai, looking for a quick snack.
Although the enemy has yet to be identified, I will take some precautions.
Maybe some trip wire and Claymore mines.
Concertina wire.
Punji sticks.
Or something.
I'll just try and surround them with the most ferocious of my defenders:



That's right sports fans!
We ain't going down without a fight!
Kinda sorta.

3 comments:

Steve A said...

Remember, this is the US. That bird is innocent until proven guilty, though that guilt could certainly be proven by examining its stomach contents.

John Romeo Alpha said...

I assume the bulbuls go right to the top of the evil list for that wanton act of cactus destruction (alleged).

limom said...

Steve A., I'm considering motion detection and video to be sure.

JRA, the bulbuls get a one time free pass.
After that, well, the evil list it is!
I was just thinking, I wonder if I caught and ate a chili eating bulbul, would it be spicy?