Hi Bea, My guess would be the squirrel(s). I only have one or two here myself but I was constantly catching them digging in my pots and in my garden digging up my bulbous plants. They would leave the foliage alone and only eat the bulbs. I didn't want to hurt them, I just didn't want them feeding on my prize plants. Two things I can suggest to try to mitigate the damage: 1). Moth balls. Scatter a few of these around the garden and place one in each plant pot. These will deter squirrels and other small animals and won't harm the plants. 2). Small netting. Laying this on the ground and allow plants to grow up through it. Most squirrels and small animals won't walk on it. Assuming it is the squirrels doing this, and if you still want them around, I came to an equitable agreement with mine by placing a feeder in another corner of my garden that was away from the plants and where I could still watch them. It was easier for them to get to the food I left out for them and they left my plants alone. Now we are both much happier. Good luck! Paul -----Original Message----- From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of pbs-request@lists.ibiblio.org Sent: Tuesday, March 12, 2013 11:02 AM To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org Subject: pbs Digest, Vol 122, Issue 16 Send pbs mailing list submissions to pbs@lists.ibiblio.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to pbs-request@lists.ibiblio.org You can reach the person managing the list at pbs-owner@lists.ibiblio.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of pbs digest..." List-Post:<mailto:pbs@lists.ibiblio.org List-Archive:<http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php Today's Topics: 1. Re: What's eating my bulb flowers? (Stephen Putman) 2. Re: What's eating my bulb flowers? (B Spencer) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:06:29 -0400 From: Stephen Putman <putman@pobox.upenn.edu> Subject: Re: [pbs] What's eating my bulb flowers? To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Message-ID: <513E9BB5.1040008@pobox.upenn.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Rabbits? On 3/11/2013 4:40 PM, Rodger Whitlock wrote: > This spring, my crocus flowers have been eaten by some unknown > critter. The flower buds are nibbled down to next to nothing, but the foliage is intact. > Other flowers affected include Cyclamen coum, where the entire flower > and calyx are neatly nipped off, and some anemones. In many cases, > there are fragments of the flower scattered on the soil below. > > Potential malefactors: > > birds > deer > squirrels > rats > mice > slugs > earwigs > > Initially I thought it was slugs, but a scattering of slug bait > yielded no dead ones. There are deer around, but I've seen no evidence > of them lately. Only one squirrel in residence that I know of. Live > traps baited with peanut butter haven't caught anything yet, but those > can sometimes take weeks to catch a rodent. > > I've been in this house nearly 25 years and never seen damage like this before. > > Suggestions? > > ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:48:08 -0400 From: B Spencer <bea.spencer@sympatico.ca> Subject: Re: [pbs] What's eating my bulb flowers? To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Message-ID: <BLU0-SMTP1079EF9B958DD947937BEF85E20@phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Not likely. I have rabbits galore. Coyotes and owls make a dent but not enough. In the years we have a resident fox, I celebrate. Rabbits are not selective. They would nibble the foliage too. At least they do that in my place. Bea Zone5 in Ontario On 3/11/2013 4:40 PM, Rodger Whitlock wrote: > This spring, my crocus flowers have been eaten by some unknown critter. > The > flower buds are nibbled down to next to nothing, but the foliage is > intact. > Other flowers affected include Cyclamen coum, where the entire flower > and calyx are neatly nipped off, and some anemones. In many cases, > there are fragments of the flower scattered on the soil below. ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php End of pbs Digest, Vol 122, Issue 16 ************************************