[Dreamer@45]

Something is nibbling my strawberry stalks and leaving the fruit lying on the ground completely untouched. Whatever it is also doesn’t seem to care if the fruit is ripe or not. The strawberry bed is netted against birds so any ideas on what is vandalising my fruit would be greatly appreciated.

[rozalia]

Slugs?  One of my courgette stalks was nibbled right through and  I caught the culprit nearby!

[Dreamer@45]

Thanks for the reply rozalia but slugs have never been much of a problem where I am and I think it would be very unusual for a slug to cut through lots of strawberry stalks and leave the juicy fruit completely untouched, Though I could be wrong. I’ve just put down some mouse traps but then again it could be a pheasant or crow somehow bulldozing into the netting and grabbing a fruit then not being able to pull it out. These suspects are all I can think of at the moment.

[realfood]

We have problems on our strawberries with squirrels.

[shokkyy]

We have problems on our strawberries with squirrels.

Yep, me too. I caught one redhanded, leopard crawling back under the netting with a huge strawberry in his mouth. The net was pegged down but the little person just pulled the peg out and chucked it to one side.

[Dreamer@45]

Cant be squirrels as there aren’t any around here that I can see at least, and also why would a squirrel leave the fruits completely untouched? Any one else had the same problem?

[viettaclark]

I found one that had been detached from the stalk and was just lying there. Not even ripe yet!
First thought was squirrels but I think it could be a mouse!

[Dreamer@45]

Thanks for the reply Viettaclark, just like you a number of the fruit have been completely unripe…….very frustrating indeed. I placed a couple of traps down yesterday and will be checking later today. 

[Dreamer@45]

Well you never stop learning with this lark…..Just as I entered the plot this evening I spotted three crows fly off from my Strawberry patch! On further inspection the mouse traps were empty and a couple of strawbs were again detached from the plant. It seems the birds are pushing their heads against the netting grabbing a fruit then finding they cant get it out through the netting. Chicken wire on water pipes is going up tomorrow.

[DD.]

Mine are covered in Enviromesh - not a lot can get through that, unless it's human.

And before anyone raises the issue of pollination, ite goes on after the flowers have set.