One of Aunty’s favorite pastimes is gardening. Every plant in the yard has a little story – where it was bought, who gave it, etc. Lizards run around, bees buzz, and birds perch and poop. One unwelcome bird pooper is the Bulbul – an invasive species that was released in Hawaii, probably by a bird lover who let their illegal pets into the Islands. They are black with red butts. These birds feed on fruits, vegetables, and flower buds – Aunty’s orchid flower buds in particular.
Aunty would stick orchid plants into the stone wall up front and they would do okay, a few buds here and there but not too many flowers because the Bulbuls would find the new shoots and eat them before they bloomed.
This year, Aunty’s orchid plants became profuse with orchid spikes and buds. The Bulbuls seemed to be leaving them alone! Each day would bring more buds and these slowly grew larger until a few of them started to bloom. Happy happy joy joy!!! until petals seemed to fall off, so Aunty gave it some organic fertilizer to boost the plants. However, it wasn’t the health of the plant causing the petals to break off. Buds were also being nipped off. The dang Bulbuls had found Aunty’s trove of orchids and began to feast.
Google searching brought up several solutions and Aunty wrapped either thin wire or fishing line around CDs and hung them from the low hanging tree branches above the flower sprays. They sway hither and thither with the wind and reflect mirror-like light.
Aunty also bought some reflective pinwheels to stick into nearby plants as extra precaution. They aren’t pretty in the tropical garden setting, but they are better than eaten up flowers and destroyed orchid buds. So far, so good. Bulbuls are leaving the petals and buds alone. Orchids are happy. So is Aunty.
Aloha Auntie! CD’s are a great idea! Bulbuls are such a pest! I just woke up to find 2 emerging flower spikes chomped on one of my Phalaenopsis orchids. Will miss seeing her blooms this year. I have had good luck in the past using flash tape which didn’t seem to scare off the butterflies. I would still see Bulbuls in trees nearby, but they kept their distance from the tape. I recently moved most of my orchids to the lanai which didn’t have any flash tape yet. Hopefully now that it does, the rest of my flower spikes will be left alone! I cannot bring my orchids inside the house due to indoor cat demons who like to knock over and snack on them as well.
Those Bulbuls really are a nuisance! I tried hanging CDs but they still ate roots and buds. However, now I don’t have the Bulbul problem because I killed all my orchids with coffee grounds. Didn’t know they couldn’t handle it and I kept thinking it was good for them and put more and more. Only the roses and hibiscus liked it. Many of my other small trees and bushes died too. I was worse than Bulbuls!
Bad Bulbul. Years ago there was a bounty on them, I guess it didn’t work on controlling them.
I don’t like to be cruel to animals otherwise I would use a bb gun…
Those orchids are beautiful. I hope those birds find another place to eat.
So far they have left the orchids alone, thankfully!
That looks so pretty, Auntie. I’m sorry to tell you we tried the CD trick too, but unfortunately the bulbul is too smart. After a while they figure it out and come back. The bulbuls at our place wasn’t even eating the orchids, they were just biting the buds off and leaving it on the ground. So so aggravating. My mother finally gave up on the orchids, and strangely, they stopped coming. So the flowers are able to bloom again. I hope they don’t come back.
Oh, I hope they don’t come back, too! The CDs are hung quite low, just above the spray of buds so if a bird did land there, it would get hit as the CD swings. So far, so good!
Your collection of orchids surrounded by the succulents & ferns creates a beautiful garden, with a large tree in the background, we’ve also tried hanging CD discs on our fruit trees, & find they work to keep away the bulbuls & other pesky creatures. However, we miss the butterflies which were regular tenants when we first started growing our plants, but they have vanished from this east end. Aunty, you may have an answer to the question, “Where, oh, where did the butterflies go?”
Enjoy your beautiful garden,
Tutu
Ah, wonderful butterflies! We have them flying around in season because a neighbor has several crown flower bushes. I also bought a “butterfly bush” from a nursery that emits a sweet scent that attracts butterflies. I also love butterflies.
Thanks for the tip. Was wondering why my orchids aren’t blooming.
Uzsmom
Dang Bulbuls!
Makes me happy too!!
Like your happy dance!