Have a rat problem? Mother nature has a solution and other uses

http://www.foragingtexas.com/2012/08/coral-bean.html

X wrote:
The red beans can not be made safe to eat as they contain a poison similar to curare. In Mexico these seeds are used to poison pest animals such as rats.

Hummingbirds love the sweet nectar found in the flowers and are immune to the coral bean toxins. While foragers and hummingbirds may like this shrub, many other land-owners find it to be a somewhat invasive nuisance. The plant produces many seeds which can cause it to quickly spread over an area, rendering it unfit for cattle or other domesticated animals.

The only edible part of this plant are the red flowers and youngest leaves. Both parts must be boiled for 15 minutes to render them safe to eat. Cooking does shrink them the flowers and leaves down quite a bit so you'll want to harvest a lot...but never more than 10% of the flowers and new leaves so to insure the plant stays healthy and can reproduce. Stick to eating leaves 1.0-1.5 inches long, or smaller. The young leaves can also be boiled for a tea which some native tribes considered to be a general health tonic.

_______

I have these growing wild on my property, Its strange as the goats and rams eat these with no ill effects..

In Mexico you can adopt about a dozen cute cats at the cat shelter and be rat free for life. Also scorpions, mice, and other little critters.

Trailrunner wrote:In Mexico you can adopt about a dozen cute cats at the cat shelter and be rat free for life. Also scorpions, mice, and other little critters.

I have three cats and no rodent or insect problems in the house. Every now and then I find dead scorpions, roaches or spiders -- or body parts thereof. Also occasionally, a dead rat or mouse is left by the door for me. Sadly, I also find dead lizards and occasionally rescue a live one from the Chief Hunter cat.

I have a black female almost two year old who kiiled 2 snakes! Eventually. She had both in her mouth at the same time.Eventually she kills them.

Everday she hunts field mice. She kills a couple a day that I see or she sneaks in with them. This is just about everyday! If your cat eats mice make sure you worm them regularly. Also check your dogs for worms..

I've never had a huntress this good. I rescued her when she was a baby!