All posts tagged: backyard

Beatbot Pool-Cleaning Robots Are on Sale

Beatbot Pool-Cleaning Robots Are on Sale

Published by skeptic

Just in time for summer, Beatbot’s pool-cleaning robots are on sale through the end of the month. If you’re on the hunt for smarter pool care, these are some of the best pool-cleaning robots on the market, and we haven’t seen them sell for less. Whether you’re tired of paying the pool guy or just don’t want to deal with whatever scary stuff is floating in the water, these robots can help. Be sure to check out our related buying guides for more summer outdoors coverage, including the best bug sprays, the best sunscreens, and the best fitness trackers. Beatbot iSkim Ultra Robotic Pool Skimmer for $599 ($400 off) Beatbot iSkim Ultra Robotic Pool Skimmer This surface skimmer is slow and methodical with its approach, which means it won’t slam into your pool’s walls while doing its job. Use the app to set schedules, monitor the temperature, dock the unit, adjust its speed, and more. It has a 9-liter basket that holds a ton of crud and features both solar and magnetic wireless charging. If …

Politics Home Article | The Reform Wave Reaches Kemi Badenoch’s Backyard

Politics Home Article | The Reform Wave Reaches Kemi Badenoch’s Backyard

Published by Sam Flores

Reform UK has claimed yet another Tory stronghold (Alamy) 3 min read5 hr Reform’s dominant victory in Essex will likely be one of the local election results most worrying Kemi Badenoch. Not just because the Tories had controlled the council for 25 years. But also because the county is home to the constituencies of ten Conservative MPs, six of whom are shadow cabinet ministers – including Badenoch herself. Former cabinet ministers James Cleverly and Priti Patel, both senior members of Badenoch’s shadow front bench, are also Essex MPs. It was confirmed on Friday that Nigel Farage’s insurgent party won 53 of Essex County Council’s 78 seats, with the Conservatives dropping to 13 from the 52 they won in 2021. Five years ago, the Tories were riding high in the opinion polls, with the then prime minister, Boris Johnson, enjoying what was widely described as a coronavirus vaccine bounce. Now, however, the Conservatives are struggling to move on from their 2024 general election loss, with Badenoch’s steadily improving ratings seemingly failing to translate into an improved party brand. The …

Farage ready to unleash Stage Two of No 10 plan as Reform blitzes Rayner’s backyard | Politics | News

Farage ready to unleash Stage Two of No 10 plan as Reform blitzes Rayner’s backyard | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Nigel Farage’s local election success puts him on a path to power (Image: Express) Nigel Farage knew the local elections were make or break in his march towards No 10 and threw everything at them. The Reform UK leader has been touring the country for months to speak to voters directly in the hope of persuading them to back his party in votes that are usually focused on bin collections and potholes. But Farage has a roadmap for power and knew that without a stunning performance in these votes the momentum behind his party would evaporate. He described the elections as Reform’s Becher’s Brook. It has to be cleared if there is any chance of going on to win. Read more: ‘Keir Starmer is done – he’s exposed himself as very thing he railed against’ Two councils sum up how the Turquoise tsunami keeps him on course. Labour’s natural Red Wall heartlands had a dalliance with the Conservatives in 2019 but have now firmly fallen for Reform. This was perfectly illustrated in Tameside, the council …

8-year-old’s backyard discovery upends a century of plant-insect science

8-year-old’s backyard discovery upends a century of plant-insect science

Published by Jenni Sidey

What looked like a few seeds beside an ant nest in a backyard turned out to be something stranger, and far more consequential. When 8-year-old Hugo Deans spotted several BB-sized objects under a log near an ant nest, he assumed the ants had gathered seeds. His father, Penn State entomologist Andrew Deans, recognized them as oak galls, the small plant growths made when certain wasps trigger an oak tree to build a protective structure around their larvae. That much fit with established biology. What did not fit was why ants were hauling them around. That question led researchers to a layered ecological story involving oak trees, gall wasps and ants, one that may force a rethink of a classic example from biology textbooks. “For myrmecochory, ants get a little bit of nutrition when they eat the elaiosomes, and the plants get their seeds dispersed to an enemy-free space,” Deans said, referring to the well-known process in which ants carry seeds fitted with edible appendages. “The phenomenon was first documented over 100 years ago and is …

Best Bug Spray (2026), Tested and Reviewed

Best Bug Spray (2026), Tested and Reviewed

Published by skeptic

No one likes the feeling of insect repellent. I have vivid memories of being sprayed down with the stuff as a kid before venturing into the woods in northern Minnesota on family vacations and feeling like chemical warfare was being waged on all of my senses. I was willing to endure it because being covered in mosquito bites is even worse. Wearing repellent can save your life, protecting you against West Nile virus and Lyme disease, just to name a few of the pathogens mosquitoes and ticks can pass on. “Insect repellents are designed to affect insects’ senses and prevent them from finding humans,” says Sonja Swiger, a professor at Texas A&M University’s Department of Entomology. “The use of these products provides protection to humans that cannot be achieved by anything else.” Essentially, environmental mosquito management programs can’t completely protect you from the bugs. If you’re going to be outside for a long period of time, especially in areas where biting bugs are common, applying repellent is a smart idea. The good news is that …

15 Best Gifts for Plant Lovers and Gardeners (2026)

15 Best Gifts for Plant Lovers and Gardeners (2026)

Published by skeptic

Suppose your giftee loves growing mushrooms but has graduated to more challenging varieties. In that case, North Spore makes an automated monotub ($165) that can be paired with either substrate or the brand’s fruiting blocks. It keeps the growing environment with the proper airflow and humidity, and I’ve grown so many mushrooms in mine that I’ve turned into a Crazy Mushroom Lady, leaving bags on neighbors’ porches and chasing down acquaintances in the grocery store. (Note that the photo above shows golden oyster mushrooms, which mycologists are investigating as a potential invasive species. North Spore says it is currently phasing out its yellow oyster mushroom kits while it works on developing a sporeless strain.) A Decorative Indoor Trellis and Plant Saucers If your friend or loved one is supporting their vines or floppy potted plants with bendable moss poles or, worse, a jerry-rigged ladder made out of duct taped pencils (it was an emergency, OK?), treat them to one of these hand-finished, laser-cut plant supports. There are staked and modular versions (my favorite is the …

This Eye-Catching Indoor Garden Is 20 Percent Off Right Now

This Eye-Catching Indoor Garden Is 20 Percent Off Right Now

Published by skeptic

Many indoor hydroponic garden systems are striking showpieces for the home, but none perhaps more so than Lettuce Grow’s Farmstand. Founded by Zooey Deschanel and her ex-husband, film producer Jacob Pechenik, Lettuce Grow makes a variety of gardens, including the new no-pump-required Counterstand Set ($149), which I’m currently testing. Nothing stops guests in their tracks quite like the indoor Farmstand. As I described it when I reviewed it last year, it’s as if a giant strawberry planter were reimagined as a set piece for 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Farmstand’s smaller sibling, the Nook, recently began selling at Costco and immediately became an online sensation among Costco influencers. (Yes, Costco influencers are a thing.) Even my own mom texted me in awe upon seeing it in the store, despite having seen the full-sized Lettuce Grow many times in my house. In short, if you’re looking for a gift with wow factor, a Lettuce Grow garden is sure to deliver, and right now all Farmstands—and the Counterstand Set—are 20 percent off through May 10 when you …

The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners of 2026: Beatbot, iGarden, Dreame

The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners of 2026: Beatbot, iGarden, Dreame

Published by skeptic

This robot has everything: Near-perfect cleaning capabilities (including floors, walls, and waterline), a powerful battery with 6 hours of charge under the water, AI-powered debris detection, a solid mobile app, and the ability to skim the surface of the pool if you so desire. When finished cleaning, the AquaSense 2 Ultra floats, so collecting it is just a matter of grabbing it from the comfort of the deck. After a quick cleanup, just drop the robot on the included charging stand to juice it back up, no cables required. What’s not to like? Only two things, really. Monstrous cleaning ability requires a monstrous chassis, and to say the 29-pound Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra is unwieldy would be an understatement. Hauling this robot out of the water can be a chore, so work on your forearm curls if you plan to purchase one. There’s also the matter of price point: At nearly $3,000 it’s pretty much the most expensive battery-powered pool robot on the market, though plenty of competitors are at least in the ballpark. If …

A Brief Interview With the Owner of the Hot-Air Balloon That Landed in Someone’s Backyard

A Brief Interview With the Owner of the Hot-Air Balloon That Landed in Someone’s Backyard

Published by skeptic

Well, in this case, we couldn’t even get the balloon to the street on either side of the neighborhood. That particular backyard was big enough for the basket to land without the balloon in danger of hitting the house. It was more of an opportunity to land safely before we didn’t have fuel to land. So that’s why it was that backyard in that location. The other options were less safe. What’s the process of getting a balloon down safely from that height? Well, it’s pretty simple. Hot air causes the balloon to rise. Let the balloon cool, or let some of the hot air out—we go down. The steerage comes from the wind. So we can control up and down very expertly, as you can see. But left and right, that’s entirely by the wind. In this case, there was no wind for an extended period of time, and that’s why the pilot landed where he did. Can I ask a dumb question, then? If you can’t control directionally where you’re going, how do …

People Who Put Up Bird & Squirrel Feeders In Their Yards Usually Share 11 Rare Personality Traits

People Who Put Up Bird & Squirrel Feeders In Their Yards Usually Share 11 Rare Personality Traits

Published by Jenni Sidey

People who put up bird and squirrel feeders in their yards usually aren’t doing it just for decoration or entertainment. Taking the time to feed backyard wildlife tends to reflect rare personality traits such as empathy, patience, and genuine concern for small animals that many others overlook. It’s an unassuming, often overlooked habit, but it says a lot about how someone feels responsible for the living things sharing their space. More than anything, keeping feeders stocked shows a deep love for animals and a natural instinct to nurture. People who do this regularly tend to notice their surroundings more closely, appreciate quieter moments, and stay committed to caring for something outside themselves. Here are the rare personality traits many of these bird and squirrel feeders share. People who put up bird and squirrel feeders in their yards usually share 11 rare personality traits: 1. They’re open-minded and curious about the world around them Rido | Shutterstock People who put up bird and squirrel feeders tend to stay curious about what’s happening outside their window. They …