Pesticides are to blame for indigenous species loss in Florida

Dear Dr. Fox: Thank you sincerely for your column on the disappearance of frogs.

Having lived in South Florida all of my 56 years, I have noticed a developing deficit in the frog and lizard populations — a fairly recent phenomenon and rapidly accelerating. Growing up in a relatively undeveloped area of

West Palm Beach, we had bufos, tree frogs and tadpoles galore, to the degree that we came home from vacation one year to find our pool black with baby frogs.

I remember the mosquito trucks with their flashing yellow lights driving through the streets at dusk, fogging the neighborhood with pesticide, while we kids ran behind them and played in the mist with glee. Nobody stopped us.

The flies disappeared. Wonderful! The fireflies were gone. Who noticed but us kids?

Then the huge bufos who amused us by eating the dog food thinned out. Nobody was paying attention.

Ten years ago, I fashioned a small frog pond in my yard, and I would wake each morning to find two or three fairly large toads lounging in it, or a new crop of tadpoles. Haven’t seen one in almost five years now.

I check my pool for “swimmers” every morning. I used to find at least one every day. Not anymore.

We used to have resident tree frogs growing large around the outer walls and leaving tracks on our windows. (One actually jumped onto my face when I was watering a hanging plant one day. I miss that guy.)

The small lizards have been displaced by a larger species with curly tails that I do not recognize.

My point is that something has gone seriously wrong with our ecological management. I am not a scientist, just an observer of nature. What I am seeing is truly disturbing. — D.K.C., Tequesta

Dear D.K.C.: Yes, all of this is very disturbing and is a consequence of a combination of fear, ignorance and vested interests.

I hammer away as best I can to bring sound science and reason to bear on our relationships with and treatment of all our relations, human and nonhuman. Our disregard for the insect kingdom in particular is part of our undoing, our fall from grace. The domino effect means insectivorous birds, bats, reptiles and other creatures starve to death, and so may we soon, as we lose essential insect pollinators of our food crops while poisoning ourselves with pesticides in the process.

Dear Readers:

Today’s SOUND OFF concerns new cars that do not include a spare tire. — Heloise

“Dear Heloise: When shopping for a new car, most people don’t bother to check to see if there is a spare tire included with the sale, but in fact, many new cars do not include this item anymore.

“Some cars have an inflator kit included, but this won’t help for serious tire damage, only for tread puncture. Some higher-priced cars come with run-flat tires, which will operate for limited miles after puncture. Neither of these options works as well as a spare tire.

“If you insist on getting a spare tire, some dealers will sell you a kit, which includes a tire, a jack and a lug wrench. It will cost you between $150 and $300, in addition to the purchase

Other uses for paper clips:

■ Clip reminders to a calendar or in a journal.

■ Use to clip bags closed.

■ Use to hold up a hem in a pinch.

■ Let children make necklaces or bracelets with them.

— Heloise

GPS tracking Dear Heloise:

I recently had a laptop computer that went missing at an airport. When I bought a replacement, I had a GPS tracking device installed so I could track down my computer if it went missing again. Some computers have tracking software installed at the manufacturing plant, but if yours doesn’t have it, I highly recommend getting software tracking for your laptop. — Jim Y., Pocatello, Idaho

Dull kitchen floor Dear Heloise:

No matter how often I mop my kitchen floor, it always has a dull look to it. How do I restore the shine? — Karen B., Beaverton, Ore.

Karen, try mopping your floors with just plain white vinegar and water

How often should I be watering my plants? — Phyllis T., Erie, Pa.

Phyllis, thump the pot or container, and if it sounds hollow, it probably needs water. If it doesn’t sound hollow, it probably has water. Most plants do not need a lot of water unless they are outside, but indoor plants should be watered at least once a week. — Heloise

Measuring cups Dear Heloise:

I’m tired of dragging a measuring cup to the laundromat; I’ve lost about four so far. Got any hints to help me? — Morgan D., Boulder City, Nev.

Morgan, try a plastic yogurt cup (an 8-ounce container), and use that to measure your laundry soap. If that container gets lost, it’s not a big deal. — Heloise