Male HOSP

rrmartins · Mon Apr 18, 2016 2:46 pm

I have a male that I can't trap, he's too smart. He has another female now and nest building again. Thinking the best option is to let them stay busy there, since they are the only pair in the house. The martins just started building their nest also. I'm thinking of trapping them, after she lays eggs, will this be too late, don't want him pecking the martin eggs, since the female will prob. go in first. I use insert traps.

DornCounty · Mon Apr 18, 2016 2:51 pm

best time to attempt a trap is shortly after eggs are layed.. that female will do anything to get to them. The male usually as well.

I usually have the same results after they have build a good solid packed nest prior to egg laying also.

rrmartins · Mon Apr 18, 2016 6:05 pm

I'll give it a couple days till the eggs lay, I guess. Thanks a lot, have a great season.

mickey53 · Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:15 pm

We just arrived home in Ontario from Florida and have seen one male Martin, as soon as we opened their house, a male House sparrow showed up, then opened his house with trap door and soon had him in the bottle at back. Chalk up one less HS pest.

rrmartins · Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:20 pm

Well, I placed their nest bowl in a trap this morning, with a big black feather in it. The male couldn't resist and hopped in. He is now cat food in the ditch. Little guy had me going for awhile. Good luck everyone!!

KathyF · Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:25 pm

RR - go here - scroll down to "trapping strategies".

http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com/2015/02 ... s-for.html

KathyF · Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:26 pm

rrmartins wrote:Well, I placed their nest bowl in a trap this morning, with a big black feather in it. The male couldn't resist and hopped in. He is now cat food in the ditch. Little guy had me going for awhile. Good luck everyone!!

OH, you posted while I was typing! Too slow, Kathy!!! LOL

Congratulations!

Chuck4 · Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:36 pm

I don't know if you have a repeating trap, like the Blaine's trap, or not, but I used some of their nesting material as bait. I put some of it in the trap, and below it, too. I placed the trap down below the gourd rack, where they could see it! I had them, the male and female, trying to build in two of my gourds (one pair-two gourds!), by the next morning! The female had already laid two eggs. I also caught 4 more males (Yeah!!!). So far, I am not having any more HOSP issues this year.

rrmartins · Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:02 pm

Good job Chuck. I don't have a repeater, guess I should invest in one. I usually don't have that much trouble with them either, this year they are bad. I'll go read the article Kathy. Thanks guys.