The best way to identify the pests is to catch them in the act. Your diligence is admirable, my hat is off to you. If you go out in the early morning again, look on the underside of the leaves and all around the plant and soil for the culprit, which is most likely a larva of something that will become a moth later on. If your garlic spray isn't working, then try a soapy water spray, I have read that a lot of bugs wont gnaw on soapy plants. With what you describe I can definitely say that you don't have cutworms :) (which is my problem pest) Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden

Slugs and snails love peppers. I keep a pepper plant in my orchid house as a "magnet plant" so that I can go out at night and remove any slugs that I find there. But really, your pepper in your photo looks quite good. You're not going to have pristine foliage and it isn't necessary. Sometimes the predation is so heavy that the leaves are almost skeletonized and the plants photosynthetic ability is diminished. Then you've got problems. You might also have leaf-cutting bees. They leave holes but it's not typically catastrophic damage.

I hate to admit it but yes I'm a "newbie" here on this website. I feel like I'm at an AA meeting or something. LOL Anyway here's a lil bit about me... Hello everyone! Goodness, I am glad to say that we survived Katrina, THANK heavens. My husband and I were planning on moving out to our property in the country later on in life but later has become more sooner instead! Once we saw the mass destruction from Katrina(hurricane) we decided to go ahead and move more North to our 8.5 acres. Anyway, our land is cleared like a blank canvas awaiting a masterpiece to be painted. I am here to say that I love planting different flowers, roses, and trees to see a spectacular end result. WOW!!! I am hoping to have our home completed here in the next 6 months then I'll really be able to get to work on some landscaping around the house. SO far I have started a rose garden, herbs, different flowering bulbs, fruit trees, live oaks, blueberry bushes and am looking forward to creating even more fun areas to enjoy for a lifetime. My lil boy loves to go out and pick the fruit right off the bush or tree and start eating it. Well, I hope all is well with everyone and I look forward to making some new smelly garden friends. :) BTW..I already checked in the "newbie" section. LOL Happy Thanksgiving To All, Karin Here is a link that might be useful: Vette Lovers!

Thank you both for your responses. Tracey, I don't think we have woodchucks here in SoCal, but given some of the other wildlife I've seen around here, nothing would surprise me! Morz8, the plot is in a place that's not easily accessible to a large animal - it's in a side yard only about 8 feet wide, next to the garage. If an animal as large as a deer was getting in, I think I'd see some evidence - tracks, things knocked over, etc. Nothing. I also have ornamental plants in the unfenced front yard which have never been touched, and I understand deer are voracious. I should mention that the critter has also eaten a hot pepper plant (with peppers!) and hasn't (yet) touched the sage. I know there are rats in the yard, but I've never heard of rats eating plants. Is that a possibility?