Several years ago we had a beetle trap torn off of one of the fenceposts down the hill in front of our house and the bag ripped up. Probably raccoon. A lower hanging bag (from the scent left) a year later was probably taken by a skunk (aka polecat in these parts).
I think frogs might also be potential culprits.

I've had the bags ripped off trees and drug for some distance. I suspected raccoons because I've never seen a skunk in a tree.

Bobbing for JB's in a bucket, that's a new one. Harry, that sport could on.

Since its ``old beer in hand'' asking maybe he was seeing pink beetles Sunday nite?

I think your missing beetles came to my house. I will send them back to you along with all of their South Carolina cousins :-).

Carol

Whatever it is that ate them probably won't bother them again as they are supposed to taste awful (hence, no natural predators).

Harry--

What about a fox? We had a fox dug out an entire fire ant mound...what he was after I don't know....but they do tend to take any opportunity that presents itself. Do you have any foxes in the area?

(pretty sure that last question is loaded) lol

Ronda

It seems apparent that something took them in daylight. Most likely late afternoon. Or all day, through the afternoon. That's why I am thinking bird. The bucket was full to near the top, a bird could perch on the edge and pluck the yummy tidbits. Picking them from a large bucket would be tedious for any other critter, even a raccoon.

Pete - ya know, you could give a guy a reputation. However, I did once see a pink elephant drinking from my bird bath.

Harry, maybe on Sunday you just hit the "advance scouting" brigade, with the rest to follow next week?

Can you ink up the edges of the bucket? If it's a raccoon it'll make paw prints every where and birds may even leave prints. Or if you have clay or even play dough you can put that around the edges and get an imprint. As long as you know the dang things aren't somehow getting out and flying away.

Were your pancakes crunchy and did they have an unusual flavor?

I don't know what it was that ate your jbs, but if you find out, you should patent and sell it.

I would guess something close to the ground that can't reach the JB's on the higher buds? Seems like racoons would just break the roses to reach JB's on the higher buds.

Hope you figure it out and post back. :-)

Cheers,
Michelle

Maybe it wasn't a good day to go to the pool.

It was almost certainly a bird. Probably a Robin, Blue Jay or Catbird.

Contrary to popular myth, they are not unpleasant to insect-eating birds. Starlings, Blue Jays, Robins, Crows, Catbirds, Mockingbirds, etc., love JBs and could eat them all day -- except for one problem: JBs like to eat near or at the top of the plants and ground-feeding birds that eat them can't perch there; they're too heavy. Smaller insect-eating birds like Carlina Wrens, thrushes and the like that CAN perch at the top of roses find JBs too large so they tend to leave them alone.

what if you gave the bush a shake to allow the JB's to fall to the ground, thus ringing the dinner bell for the ones that like to eat them.

just wondering..

Likely a bird, Robin or Cardinal.

Just yesterday, I saw a pair of Cardinals flew up to Westerland blooms to snatch JBs, took them to the ground to eat, and then repeated the acrobatic feat.

The Robins are less shy of my present in the garden. They will keep some distance but will go after JBs that I shake off the blooms. The blooms are still a mess anyway but at least the birds have an easier chance.

I always make sure the nearby birdbath has clean water. That helps to draw many of them to the area. Alas, still have plenty JB damage, but could be worst without the birdies.

When I checked last night, I noticed that there were beetle body parts in the water. Mostly wings and wing covers. As if something was dining on the edge of the bucket. There were also some swimmers in there, but no dead ones.

I have many grackles around. Plus robins, catbirds and cardinals. They will be caught in the act soon.

I thought I saw a female cardinal eating the beetles I had squished on the walk.

Harry--

Oh, I hope it IS cardinals. I have a bunch nesting in the area. I use a spaghetti jar to contain my JB's...maybe I should start using a bucket!

melanie

Harry I have heard that grackles like to chow on JBs. We used to have a lot of grackles in our old neighborhood & very few JBs. I don't know whether or not that's just coincidence.

I know that *something* craves the grubs as we have seen lawns torn up by something that feeds on grubs. I've heard it could be crows, racoons or skunks. I've not seen this in my yard since we treat our lawn for grubs. But that doesn't mean I'm immune.

The lawns that have been torn up around here have gone quickly & seemingly overnight. It's either that no one sees who the culprit is because the homeowners are gone during the day, or the grub hunters/eaters are coming out at night.

I'll offer this with absolutely NO scientific background: I've seen a lot less caterpillars & mosquitos so far this season. Usually during dry summers we see a huge decline. I'm wondering for those of us in drier areas, if the birds are forced to eat JBs this season because their beloved caterpillars and mosquitos are MIA. Wouldn't that be nice if our feathered friends helped us this year?

Melanie, instead of using a bucket, maybe you should try a JB-filled bird feeder? We should train these birds! =)

~MH