BS: Weedkillers and frogs

Subject: RE: BS: Weedkillers and frogs
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 03:34 AM

Those blue Pbi Slug pellets that are supposedly 'pet safe' will cause kidney damage in cats if the cats eat birds and animals that have ingested the slug pellets... you'll have bright blue vomit all over your house if it happens as it did to my first cat.

There is really no need for anyone other than major growers to use pesticides or weedkillers - there is always an alternative and one of those is to be not so bloody picky over how your apples look.

And even the major growers can find responsible methods if they look hard enough. It's the power of money that is driving them to find ever cheaper methods, regardless of how expensive they are to everyone else around them.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Weed killers and Frogs
From: Gurney
Date: 02 Mar 10 - 12:50 AM

I didn't know that about weedkiller.

I do know that Slug Pellets (Snail Killer?) kill both Song Thrushes and Hedgehogs, and probably anything else that snatches up the dying snails. In the case of Hedgehogs, it kills them very slowly, and I have to finish them off as a mercy killing.
I wish my gardener neighbours wouldn't use it.

Frogs did breed in my pond one year. The tadpoles lasted until the goldfish realised they were edible.

Subject: RE: BS: Weed killers and Frogs
From: Bert
Date: 01 Mar 10 - 10:51 PM

One should never use weed killers for any reason. I just lost a gardening job 'cos I refused to use weedkiller in a client's garden.

Subject: RE: BS: Weed killers and Frogs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Mar 10 - 09:57 PM

Loss of pollinating insects as well as frogs and amphibians is a real concern.

Weed killers- two are advertised following Ed T's post, and probably will shift to follow mine- are often used unnecessarily.

Subject: RE: BS: Weed killers and Frogs
From: Ed T
Date: 01 Mar 10 - 08:19 PM

Outside of lawns, it seems like this chemical is used mostly in corn, followed by use on sorghum and sugarcane (2002). http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/2002/Atrazine-Growing-Problem-Cummins14aug02.htm

Subject: BS: Weed killers and Frogs
From: Ed T
Date: 01 Mar 10 - 07:46 PM

Before you start spraying weedkillers around this spring, take note of this article. I fear what it does to the environment, other animals...uncluding humans.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/weed-killer-can-turn-male-frogs-into-females-study-finds/article1485580/