What is eating the peas right out of the pod?

[cmclean]

My purple hull peas are being eaten out of the pod. It looks like something is carefully taking out each pea leaving the hull intact. Anybody have something like that happen to their peas?

 

[lesa]

Are the hulls open? Do you have them in a fenced in area? Do you have children that like peas?

 

[cmclean]

My garden is fenced off from my dog and 4chickens! We have squirrels, but I have not seen them in the garden. I was suspecting mice, just don't know. Do you know of a bug that would carefully eat out only the peas from the hull?

 

[momofdrew]

The only little bugs I know that eat peas like that are my grandkids... I dont know of anything else that would hull the peas...critters would eat pod and pea

 

[cmclean]

No kids here!! Thanks for the reply.

 

[smileyfacecat]

My money is on the squirrels, sorry to say.
Do your plants look like any of the pictures on this blogs? -> http://www.backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2010/07/whodunnit.html
If so, squirrels are the culprits. Try spraying your plants down with diluted hot sauce. Just remember to reapply it after it rains, oh and make sure you wash them thoroughly before eating them -- unless you like your food spicy.
Good Luck! Currently I am waging war with chipmunks...and we're at a stalemate.

 

[cmclean]

My plants are not as damaged as the ones in that link. It looks like little, bitty teeth chewed out the peas. MICE??? Just don't know. I can't catch them in the act!!!

 

[Collector]

Hi Cm, if you think it is mice maybe you could try mouse traps. Just set them along the row with some bait and see what happens.

 

[cmclean]

Thanks to all of you for the info. I'll try the mouse traps first. If no mice, guess I'll replant the peas!!