pepper plants cut off at stem

[SuperChemicalGirl]

I had something last year dig up my plants, eat the roots and then leave the plants to die. I never figured out what it was but we have an abundance of wildlife here. Could have been anything from a cat to a squirrel to a skunk.

Also wanted to add that my dusting of Sevin and use of matches around the plants SO FAR has everything looking good.

 

[digitS']

The ears are supposed to be one indicator for what is also called the, "stump-eared squirrel."

I used to visit my uncle's home when I was young and remember the fox squirrels there. They were much more rambunctious and "at large" than the eastern grey squirrels that I live with now.

Here is what UC Davis says about squirrels in California (click). "Of the four tree squirrels, the eastern fox squirrel, sometimes called the red fox squirrel, is by far the most serious pest to homes and gardens in urban and suburban situations."

I guess we are lucky to have one invasive species and not the other . . .

Steve

edited to say: super work taking that photograph, Wife'!

 

[NwMtGardener]

Heh, you got his mug shot, wifezilla! I bet it was a squirrel, sounds exactly like whats been happening in my garden, just uprooted plants laying around in random spots, not chewed on at all. My eggplant should make it too, I'm glad because I only have one, and have never grown them before, just wanted to check them out!!

 

[hoodat]

Steve the gray squirrel is more valuable to the forest than the red is. Grays bury nuts and invariably forget some of them which grow into trees. Reds store nuts in hollow trees (or your attic) so they never get a chance to grow. Here's an interesting fact. When there is a mixture of gray and red squirrels the red will always take over because they castrate the gray bucks to keep them from breeding (ouch)

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Heh, you got his mug shot, wifezilla! I bet it was a squirrel, sounds exactly like whats been happening in my garden, just uprooted plants laying around in random spots, not chewed on at all. My eggplant should make it too, I'm glad because I only have one, and have never grown them before, just wanted to check them out!!

I have this problem, but it's caused by armadillo.
They pull the seedlings up, set them aside, and dig for grubs.
This is one of the main reasons I use raised beds, surrounded w/ bird netting.

 

[thistlebloom]

Steve the gray squirrel is more valuable to the forest than the red is. Grays bury nuts and invariably forget some of them which grow into trees. Reds store nuts in hollow trees (or your attic) so they never get a chance to grow. Here's an interesting fact. When there is a mixture of gray and red squirrels the red will always take over because they castrate the gray bucks to keep them from breeding (ouch)

So those are the squirrels I've seen wearing surgical masks and carrying scalpels!