Q: My dad had a big tree in the backyard he called his catawba tree. Twice each summer it was loaded with yellow-and-black worms. Boy, did we catch the fish with them! Can you tell me the species of tree, and how does the cycle of worms work?

STAN TATUM

Duluth

A: It's common knowledge among fisherfolk that catawba worms make good fish bait. Your dad's tree is commonly called a catalpa tree, Catalpa bignoniodes. Sphinx moth caterpillars love catalpa tree leaves. After they gorge themselves, they drop to the ground, pupate and turn into moths. There can be several generations in a year. If you want to grow a tree of your own, find an existing catalpa tree and harvest the long yellow beanlike seedpods that drop in fall. Plant the seed in a sunny spot and transplant the seedlings to an inconspicuous place that can handle a tree 50 feet tall and 30 feet wide. I recommend a backyard corner because the worms will make the tree look really ragged by September each year.

Q: Can you recommend a good reference book for plant and tree identification? It doesn't have to be exclusively for Georgia.

JIM SCALES

e-mail

A: I like "A Field Guide to Woody Plants of the Southeast" by Rex Bishop (Tea Olive Productions, $70). It contains color photos of 230 common trees and shrubs most likely to be found in your landscape. The Peterson Field Guides are good, as well as those published online by the National Wildlife Federation (www.enature.com).

Q: Do you know where I might get some ideas on how to build birdhouses? Which birds are most common around this area?

STAN COOPER

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A: Building a birdhouse is a great wintertime activity. The whole process of attracting birds includes more than just putting up a house and a feeder. They will need water, winter berries and shrub shelter in order to be happy in your landscape. I've put together a big list of tips for attracting and identifying birds at http://xrl.us/ATTRACTBIRDS.

Q: We have a small pond with fish and frogs. Fire ants have taken up residence in the soil surrounding it. Since this area is close to the water, is there any control product that can be safely used?

SHARON KELLEY

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A: I think fire ant baits are the best choice. Green Light Fire Ant Control contains spinosad, which has low toxicity for fish. Amdro, Over 'n' Out and Once and Done bait products could also be used, but they should be scattered at least 15 feet from any infested area. Fire ants forage widely, so they will bring back home any bait applied within 20 feet of your pond.

Q: My sister just gave me an African violet. It has two long stalks that the leaves grow from. Can these be cut off and rooted in water?

BRIAN PERKINS

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A: It's common for the lower leaves on an African violet to gradually shrivel and drop off. When this happens for more than a year, the lower main stem of the plant becomes bare. African violet experts recommend repotting a plant every six months: Removing 1/2 inch of soil off the bottom of the rootball, putting the rootball back in the pot and adding soil around the stem beneath the lowest leaves. Your plant is much further gone; it needs a radical re-rooting. For this, simply cut the stem so that you have 2 inches of it beneath the lowest leaves. Fill a 3-inch-wide plastic pot with fresh potting soil and insert the bare stem in the middle. Moisten the soil and put the potted plant in a gallon-size, resealable plastic bag. Put the bag in a very sunny window in a warm room. The stem should make new roots in the pot after six weeks.