Are You Ready? Spring Chore "To Do" List

• Clean out old nesting materials after each brood fledges.
• Install a Kingston Predator Baffle on the pole to serve as a predator deterrent .
• Soap the inside roof and edges to discourage wasps from building a nest .
• Apply a one-half inch band of Tanglefoot to the pole to stop fire ants.
• Wrap nursery cloth mesh around the pole ("tutud" style) to trap snakes before they reach the nestbox. Be sure to check regularly and remove any snakes that get caught. The goal is not to kill the snake but to capture it and move it away from the area.
• Provide a source of clean water.
• Raise mealworms (pages 4&5), or purchase mealworms, if you plan to offer mealworms as a supplemental food. (Do not overfeed).
• Mow grass or control burn field to make insects readily available.
• Trim away any plant materials encroaching on the nestbox space.
• Install HeatShields on your nestbox or place in location with afternoon shade.
• Plant shrubs such as American holly, American beautyberry, parsley hawthorn, flame-leaf sumac, pokeweed, elderberry and two yaupon species: Ilex vomitoria and Ilex decidua.
• Register your nestbox at www.RegisterYourNestbox.org.
• "NestWatch" the nestbox about once a week (look in and write down what you see).
• Record your nestbox observations with NestWatch at www.NestWatch.org.
• Summarize nesting data in NestWatch to upload information to Cornell Labs database.