Holes in my seed bed

crowndale · « **on:** April 12, 2007, 07:55 »

I have got two seed beds this year, in one of them I have noticed holes appearing, about 6-8mm wide. Only on one half of the bed though where my carrots are (nothing up yet, just seed there). A friend reckons they are some sort of bug that has developed and left but this morning I found a leaf in one of them very obviously being pulled down (albeit slowly!) into a hole. Do I need to carefully scrape back the soil and see if there is something there? I don't like bugs much, don't mind worms and slugs and caterpillars, just am averse to things like beetles and earwigs! (I know, wimp!)

Jake · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2007, 14:44 »

I think it'll be ants. Someone will probably correct me though. I've got a lot of ants in one of my patches and they have these kind of holes you speak of.

Earwigs are really good in the comost you know. And beetles in general are pretty good I think.

crowndale · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2007, 17:14 »

Ah, hadn't thought of ants but should've there are a couple of underground nests in the lawn that I've never been able to get rid of. I dug down a little today and saw nothing, ants would account for that too, they move fast! Fortunately the ants are not of the viscious red variety. Are they likely to be destructive to plants (other than milking aphids).

king cauli · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2007, 19:09 »

worms pull leaves over there holes

Jake · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2007, 20:13 »

If it is ants then I think you are right about the only problem being the aphid one. I'm risking not killing the ants on my patch anyway. The seedlings don't seem to be being affected.

crowndale · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2007, 20:55 »

Ah, worms make holes too? that would make sense too because the plot has got loads of worms, almost a wormery it's so full! I remember watching a film at school about worms and pulling garden debris underground, shot through the glass of a worm farm/tank thing. Strange the things you rememebr in middle age! And I like worms more than ants!

Annie · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2007, 09:19 »

I would guess at worms too,we often find lots of upright leaves in beds that have been left overwinter and never had any crops spoilt by whatever they are.

crowndale · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2007, 11:57 »

Still waiting for the carrots to show but the radish and sprouting broc are showing their faces in teh same bed.

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