Who's eating my little seedlings? (pic)

TomNJ · April 6, 2021

Someone is eating the leaves off my little pepper seedlings under lights in my cellar. 45 years of growing seedlings and I never experienced this. Any ideas?

With the presumption it is a mouse I just set some traps around the seedling trays and replanted. Could it be some other critter or insect?

bjbebs · April 6, 2021

Mice.

brownrexx · April 6, 2021

If it's your basement, I would suspect mice. I was surprised that some got into my basement this year too and chewed on my stored potatoes. I have lived here for 20 years and never had mice before this year. They are sneaky!

eyolf · April 7, 2021

Yes, mice.

As a side note, I brought in a handful of safflower seeds (bird feeding) from the garage to start (Russians call it American Saffron) and the mouse found it on my bench.

I glued a couple of kernels on the trigger of two mouse traps with strawberry jam. I caught two the first night, and another one two days later.

The mice never even looked at peanut butter or cheese.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

TomNJ · April 7, 2021

Bingo! Caught the culprit this morning.

Thanks all!

rxkeith · April 7, 2021

there may be more than one.
keep a trap(s) set until you stop catching them.

keith

coobaby · April 7, 2021

in my experience, if you see mice, there are always more you don't see!

tjg911 · April 7, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomNJ

Bingo! Caught the culprit this morning.

Thanks all!

Yeah Tom, if you have 1 you have 100. Somehow they are getting into the basement and will continue to do so until you find and seal the entry/entries, as you know, they can squeeze through almost anything. Keep multiple traps set. There are some great YT videos using a 5 gallon bucket of water that are easy to make and work constantly unlike a trap that needs to be emptied and reset each time.

TomNJ · April 7, 2021

I left the traps in place just in case the culprit I caught has some freeloading relatives.

rhoder551 · April 8, 2021

My seedlings are outside on my patio during the day. I have noticed of all the types of plants I grow, the pepper seedlings are the ones that seem to get eaten. Mine look like a bird has eaten a leaf or two but I haven't seen one do it yet so I'm not sure. I wouldn't have guessed the peppers would be particularly yummy to a critter.

April 7, 2021	#4
eyolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central MN, USDA Zone 3 Posts: 303	Yes, mice. As a side note, I brought in a handful of safflower seeds (bird feeding) from the garage to start (Russians call it American Saffron) and the mouse found it on my bench. I glued a couple of kernels on the trigger of two mouse traps with strawberry jam. I caught two the first night, and another one two days later. The mice never even looked at peanut butter or cheese. Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk __________________ a day without fresh homegrown tomatoes is like... ...sigh

April 7, 2021	#6
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,848	there may be more than one. keep a trap(s) set until you stop catching them. keith __________________ don't abort. we'll adopt.

April 7, 2021	#7
coobaby Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 3	oh there's more in my experience, if you see mice, there are always more you don't see!

April 6, 2021	#2
bjbebs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: illinois Posts: 281	Mice.

April 6, 2021	#3
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	If it's your basement, I would suspect mice. I was surprised that some got into my basement this year too and chewed on my stored potatoes. I have lived here for 20 years and never had mice before this year. They are sneaky!

April 7, 2021	#5
TomNJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Floyd VA Posts: 771	Bingo! Caught the culprit this morning. Thanks all!

April 8, 2021	#10
rhoder551 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 219	My seedlings are outside on my patio during the day. I have noticed of all the types of plants I grow, the pepper seedlings are the ones that seem to get eaten. Mine look like a bird has eaten a leaf or two but I haven't seen one do it yet so I'm not sure. I wouldn't have guessed the peppers would be particularly yummy to a critter.