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What's eating 1 plant, but nothing else in my garden?

17 years ago

I have crocuses, dafs, narcissi, fritillaria, anemones and tulips coming up fine, but something's eating *only* my Puschkinia libanotica (striped squill?). I haven't seen the culprit, but there are no deer or raccoons in the area (urban area, haven't seen any in the 3 years we've been here) but I suppose it could be slugs? We have squirrels but I didn't think they ate this kind of stuff.

I hope a couple of them still come up. :(

Amy in Victoria BC, Canada

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of eaten plant

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
that's pretty aggressive for a slug... but you guys grow some monsters out your way .... lol ...

i would pull back the mulch and look for some type of caterpillar ... like a ring worm or something ... i find them in my hosta every year .... long before it is warm enough for the slugs to be over active ....

also .. take the flashlight out at night .... and see what you can find, once the mulch is back .....

you would be amazed what one or two ravenous vermin can do .... if it was anything that was able to move fast and far.. it would be attacking other things.. which leads me to think it is a slow moving thing within that little area of impact...

once you find it.. squish it ... if its only one or two.. no need for chemicals ... or over reaction

good luck

ken
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
its the dead of winter... it is probably a cut worm.. not ring worm ... i am not ready for bugs yet .. lol .. ken
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morz8 - Washington Coast
17 years ago
Amy, I agree it's probably a cut worm...I'm finding them when cleaning up winter debris here. Go out after dark with a flashlight, take your oldest pruners with you, snip it in half.
maineman
17 years ago
Amy,

I see what look almost like tooth marks, like the incisors of some rodent. Squirrels have been known to eat a wide variety of plants, and different squirrels develop specific tastes for particular plants.

MM
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
hey .. thats a cool bowling ball project in your pix gallery ... are they marbles... or flattened glass things.. which for lack of a better term, you call a marble???

what type of paint ... anything special???

email me direct if you wish.. thanks.. ken ..

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