What's eating my garden Crocus

[Alex]

Hi all,

I wonder if anyone can help me? I grow most of my species crocus in a greenhouse but have a few Crocus of various kinds scattered around the garden, mostly for decorative value, including one quite large drift alongside a path. I have just discovered that some animal has dug almost every one up, eaten the corm and left the stem and flower lying on the ground. other bulbs, including hundreds of Muscari, seem to be left alone. I haven't had Crocus in the garden long, and haven't seen this before, so can someone suggest what it is? Is it mice or rabbits perhaps? And of course, whatever it is, how can I deter/kill it?

Thanks,

Alex

[Armin]

grey squirrel?

[David Nicholson]

Think I agree with Armin, perhaps too much of a feast for mice. Remedy-rifle?

[ArnoldT]

My vote would be squirrel.

Put out a humane trap loaded with peanut butter and see what you catch.  Dispensing with the varmint is another thing altogether.

I've heard they eat Crocus corms like party goers eat macadamia nuts at a cocktail party.

[Lesley Cox]

Yum.

[Janis Ruksans]

Put rodent poison in tube which protects from birds. Here it would be only mice or vole. Red squirrels, living here, never looks for bulbs.
Janis

[Alex]

Thanks all - we do have grey squirrels here, unfortunately, so I suspect we have found the culprit...on what to do, I'm with Janis...

[gote]

According to Henrik Z.: Crocus corms are very tasty for humans as well. 
My problem is that mice take Corydalis corms. Mouse traps, in boxes that prevents birds from getting caught, work for me. I bait with sunflower seed.
The funny thing is that they year after year enter the planting following the same path so the placement of the traps becomes obvious.
For various reasons, I grow nearly everything in the open ground. In order to save my more precious corms I make small baskets of 6mm mesh metal net and put upside down over the corm(-s).
As long as the mesh is below ground level, all plants easily go through the net. An added advantage is that the corm stays in the basket and is easily identified if dug in the fall.
Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is much worse. They graze on Crocus, Hepatica and anything choice. Nobody sells a mousetrap that is big enough  .
I agree. the red squirrel does not go for bulbs and corms - however, they harvest all my hazelnuts and Pinus cembra cones.
Cheers
Göte
   

[Palustris]

Pheasants also adore Crocus bulbs.

[John85]

Is it true that some species of crocus are not eaten by mice or voles?Please let us know what you have seen.

[Janis Ruksans]

Is it true that some species of crocus are not eaten by mice or voles?Please let us know what you have seen.

No, all are eaten but some are more preferred - rarest and most expensive usually are eaten at first . But seriously - the first allways would be selected corms from chrysanthus/biflorus group.
Janis

[Hoy]

In my garden it is the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) that eats crocus corms. Typically they dig the corm, eat it and discard the leaves and flowers. It is not squirrels but can be field vole (Microtus agrestis) too.

[Gail]

Is it true that some species of crocus are not eaten by mice or voles?Please let us know what you have seen.

I've been trying to resist buying crocuses for the last few years as I've lost so many to the rats/mice/voles that live here.  The one exception is Crocus laevigatus 'Fontenayi' - it is the only crocus that is actually increasing in my garden. Last year we even had a ?vole hole right next to one unnibbled plant. The leaves do get grazed by rabbits though....

[ArnoldT]

I had mentioned  a safe "bait station" for squirrels.  I received an unsolicited catalog today and there it was.

http://www.jteaton.com/professional_productpage.php?id=2_3