This is getting to be quite puzzling. Only some of the in-ground plants are affected: spinach, salad greens, beans and now young cilantro seedlings. Even the second set of leaves on the beans are getting affected. However, the tomatoes and peppers in the same patch are fine. Further, spinach and cilantro in containers right next to this patch are just fine. So it must be a ground-based pest. However, I see no snail marks on the ground. What I do see are small black fly-like insects (except these are smaller). If these are causing the problem, why aren't they infesting the containers right next to this patch?

Do you have raccoons around? They love to play with covers, pick up sticks and move them, dig up seeds, replace stones, etc. I swear they are so smart they will open and close the garden gate and rehang the hummer feeder after drinking it - we watched them do it. Sometimes when I find something weird like that I think it must have been one of the grandkids except they weren't even around. Never seen a grub or beetle move a stick and ants generally pose no threat in the garden unless they are fire ants. Just something to consider. Dave

Squirrels or chipmonks. you need a tunnel of chicken wire made in a hoop and stuck in the ground--or individual bowl shaped ones. The sunflower will grow up through the chicken wire and The squirrels can't get the seed. Once it's sprouted you can remove the cage

Squirrels around here dig holes in the flower pots and beds to bury pecans and acorns. I wonder if they remember where they put them and ever get around to retrieving them as there are sure a lot of tree seedlings that come up in pots every spring! Sprinkling hot pepper on the soil as mentioned above does help to deter them. I use a product called called Squirrel Away. It's sold at garden centers to keep squirrels out of bird feeders. I'll have to check on the price of cayenne at Costco as opposed to Squirrel Away next time I go. Squirrels are cute and I enjoy them, but sometimes they are pesky little creatures like when they knock pots over as they jump around. Not only that, but I suspect that it was them that ate all the flowers off of my Christmas cactus when I sat it outside one day to get some light! Here is a link that might be useful: Squirrel Away