[Deborah1]

Just that! Seedlings had emerged, and are still there, but all of them have had the seed leaves munched back to nothing, which I imagine will set them back a bit. Seems odd if it’s slugs - they would surely eat the lot?
Do birds attack seedlings? Don’t want to cover them unless absolutely necessary.
Thanks for any input.

[robinahood]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was pigeons....

[lettice]

In all my years growing beetroot have never known anything nibble the tops.
As the leaves are similar in texture to Spinach and Chard the slugs and snails ignore, so would be surprised if it is them.
Mostly though grow the Boltardy variety.

Is it a specific variety that you have had nibbled, maybe their leaves are different.

[Yorkie]

Mine were eaten down to the stalks last year - I assumed it was slugs, but it could have been birds I suppose.

[Deborah1]

Thanks for your comments. The variety isn’t anything special - Detroit2. I’ve not normally had any bother with seedlings - it’s normally the beetroots themselves that get hollowed out by voles , so if there’s something getting them at seedling stage too I’m on a hiding to nothing!

[AnneB]

Like lettice, I have never known anything eat beetroot leaves before.  Until this morning.  Fat pigeons caught in the act as I arrived on the plot chewing both my Mulatka and my Egyptian turnip rooted beetroot. 
The later ones I sowed direct not affected, but they were tucking into the slightly larger leaves of the module sown ones.
I hope they will recover.  The bed is now netted.  Sometimes I wonder if it might be easier to build a giant cage for the whole plot.

[Nobbie]

Could it be flea beetle? Normally attack brassica, but they like dry conditions and I’m sure I’ve seen beetroot nibbled by them before. I’m currently watering a lot of stuff daily just to keep them at bay.

[Deborah1]

As an update, which is as clear as mud I re-sowed in the same patch, covered the patch with plastic crates and waited... same thing again. And, annoyingly, the little sprouts left behind from the first attack don’t seem to be growing away...

I’m thinking I’m going to try again in another part of the garden?

[robinahood]

Since posting last time I have seen sparrows nibbling mine, which is a first. They seem to target the beets particularly. However it cant be that if you have crates over the new ones!