Rats & Strawbs

[JohnN]

My wife went out to pick some of our ripe strawberries this morning and found they'd all gone!
They were there yesterday and they're in a fruit cage so it can't be birds. My neighbour suggests it's rats - any other suggestions? I plan to put a trap out tonight, with a (Tesco) strawb. as bait, of course!
John N

[alan refail]

Hi John

On occasions I have had mice in the polytunnel munching on strawberries so if all disappear rats seem likely culprits.

[Geoff]

We lost some last year that turned out to be by voles. The first trap we set disappeared (did eventually find it during Autumn clear up) but we caught a couple of fat voles later and found a hole with fruit in the entrance. There is supposed to be a population explosion this year so I guess they will be to blame for a lot damage.

[Beryl]

Squirrels are clever so and so's. I have lettuce under netting and I am sure it is them munching on the hearts. Birds can't at at them the nets too high.

Beryl.

[Catherine]

We have had a lot of complaints on our allotments regarding the rat problem. But we have lots of chickens, ducks etc. on our plots, (we dont have any) and we are away from the main of the chickens and I must say that we have not seen any this year.

I am about to cover all our strawbs before they start going red. So it should not be a problem.

[JohnN]

Strawberry-baited rat trap still intact this morning, with bait untouched. On close examination of several bare stalks it looks as though they've been nipped thro' by slugs or snails. But surely they would leave some trace of half-eaten fruit? Same with mice or voles. There's no sign of fruit at all, except for those still ripening!

[JohnN]

Spent an hour recently going carefully over the fruit cage closing every little gap, but more strawberries disappeared last night, clean off, no residue. Then noticed a huge hole, 10" across ripped in the netting a few inches above ground! Squirrel? Or what?. Have now moved plants into greenhouse!

[alan refail]

[Beryl]

Yes, I think you are right Alan but strangely it is the one thing that our lot don't seem bothered about. Rather have my onions.

[JohnN]

Don't think it's badgers. Hole was almost against beer crates that strawbs stand on, badger wouldn't be able to get thro' without moving crates. Never ever (50 years) seen a badger in or near our garden. Never seen a rabbit in the garden, either, though there's plenty in area.

[Primrose]

It wouldn't surprise me if it were rats. They make a habit of grabbing food and running to secrete it in a safer place for eating. Blackbirds and wood pidgeons have been stealing mine during the daytime but if they disappeared over night, noctural mice or rats would seem to be the culprits. They are incredibly fast movers and can demolish and move a large amount of food in a very short time. Bad luck!

[Brenjon]

Don't wish to sound smug but I am having a great crop of strawbs this year. I have not even netted them and the blackbirds have not been eating them. In previous years they have murdered them as have slugs. I cannot understand the reason for my good fortune this year .Perhaps someone has the answer.
Regards Brenjon

[Beryl]

I don't find birds a problem with strawberries, they leave mine alone each year and I don't net them or do anything special. Perhaps its because they are too busy eating my top cherries which I am happy to share with them providing they leave the lower ones for me. I do net the trees but can only reach so far. Birds don't seem bothered about the raspberries/tayberries either. I think they do like all the stone fruits though.

Enjoy your strawberries.
Beryl.